| OPINION/ ANALYSIS
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Oh Lord, won't you buy me an honest government
November 2, 2009
By Donwald Pressly
There is an air of gloom descending on South Africa that is difficult to ignore. There doesn't seem to be much integrity washing about on the political and economic fronts.
Just as Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan put his foot down on corruption and wastage, we hear that ministers are spending R150 million on housing. There are so many smart cars in the hands of ministers and officials that some high days at Parliament - like last week when President Jacob Zuma addressed the National Council of Provinces - the precinct looks like a luxury car parking area in Stuttgart.
During question time last week in the National Assembly the conspicuous consumption of ministers prompted Cope MP Phillip Dexter - one of the most articulate opposition members - to suggest that the ANC should switch its theme song from Awulethe umshini wami (Bring me my machine gun) to Janice Joplin's classic: "Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?"
I suppose the public should be grateful that former finance minister Trevor Manuel sort of apologised for purchasing another over-the-top R1.2m vehicle. He referred to it as an error of judgment.
Gordhan managed not to look too left or too right or even too centrist during his first budget last week - the medium-term budget policy statement. He carried off the egg dance well, but the devil is in the detail. There are some deeply worrying signs reported in the statement.
The number of approved Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) claims jumped by more than 100 percent between April last year and April this year. The UIF paid out R1.3 billion at an average of R2 400 a person a month. Social grants rose by a staggering 600 000 people in the first half of 2009/10 to reach about 13.4 million people.
The statement noted that "as the economy recovers, growth in government expenditure is expected to moderate to more sustainable levels, with consolidated expenditure stabilising at 34.1 percent of gross domestic product over the medium term". Phew, what a relief.
The Sunday Tribune reported that Transport Minister S'bu Ndebele appointed close associate George Mahlalela as his acting director-general despite the latter being fingered in a damning forensic report for irregularities over KwaZulu-Natal's bus subsidy contracts of almost R1.2bn. A 2005 KPMG forensic report found Mahlalela to have extended bus contracts without the knowledge of his then head of department on several occasions. Instead of doing anything about it, Ndebele says Mahlalela has an "excellent" grasp of public transport.
Then the story about the Land Bank's AgriBEE fund just gets more and more bizarre. Phil Mohlahlane, the former Land Bank chief executive, apparently used some of the R100m fund to buy a mansion in Kyalami and a farm for his sister in law. Former Gauteng housing MEC Dan Mofokeng apparently bought - guess what? - a Mercedes-Benz and a farm project.
Someone needs to buy this government a rudder, a moral compass and a heavy dose of honesty.
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