Daily Dispatch
Lunatics loose in SA’s house
NOTHING epitomises the depth to which President Jacob Zuma’s leadership has taken South Africa more than the infantile charade of one Hlaudi Motsoeneng on Wednesday.
That someone can be so oblivious to his own foolishness yet has the power to call a press conference simply to exalt his imagined selfimportance is beyond comprehension.
Every right thinking South African realises that Motsoeneng is an inept clown who has run the SABC to the point of bankruptcy.
The question therefore is why Zuma has continued to protect Motsoeneng for so long?
On Wednesday people across the nation were glued to their screens and in stitches of laughter as Motsoeneng made a spectacular laughing stock of himself once again – for four hours.
Flanked by his own cheerleaders, Motsoeneng told assembled journalists that instead of running the SABC into the ground, he had in fact, “saved” the public broadcaster.
He is so popular, he believes, that “all over the world people speak about Hlaudi”.
He also has presidential ambitions, but not before a female president ascends to the top job.
There are two very sad things about all of this. Firstly, Motsoeneng seems to believe his own hogwash. Secondly, that this individual has been allowed to rise to the very powerful position of acting chief executive at the SABC.
The reason for the latter is not difficult to understand. It is simple really. Under Zuma’s presidency one does not need to possess the necessary qualifications or wherewithal to do a job. All that is required is unconditional and unwavering blind loyalty to our flawed president.
But like many others who once imagined they were invincible and enjoyed Zuma’s protection, Motsoeneng does not realise his time is up. Zuma will no longer defend him.
What afflicts Motsoeneng, however, is the same syndrome of denial that former Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza suffers from.
The two cannot believe that the master they have served so well and so efficiently has cut them loose.
With a public backlash over his clumsy firing of the former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and his deputy Mcebisi Jonas and calls for him to step down increasing, Zuma is cornered.
As is typical, at times such as these, he rids himself of excess baggage. In this case it is Ntlemeza and Motsoeneng.
And as is now evident, the denial phase can escalate into utter lunacy.
Past experience tells us what follows: deep hatred when the one-time ardent disciple realises Zuma is throwing him under the bus.
Ask Zwelinzima Vavi, who found himself in similar position. Before him it was former police minister Nathi Nhleko, who famously lied for Zuma over the Nkandla “fire pool”.
Last week, Vavi tweeted that he still does not understand what hold Zuma had over him and his other supporters. It was as if, said Vavi, they had been under a spell of Zuma’s muti. Fortunately, most South Africans are not under such a spell and want him out of the Union Buildings. If there was anything that Motsoeneng’s press conference demonstrated it is the need for Zuma and his ilk to go – and fast.