Nary a word from the spokesperson

The ANC has had many colourful media spokespersons, among them mommy slayer Carl Niehaus and grouchy Jessie Duarte, but it has been a testing few months for political hacks since the scandal-prone Pule Mabe became the ANC’s dial-a-quote.

Mabe, who came up with the inimitable line “the mood is the mood of a meeting”, appears to require a spokesperson of his own to navigate allegations of financial irregularities in companies linked to him.

Hogarth is a little concerned that Mabe appears to have gone Awol, with a former ANC spokesperson, head of the presidency Zizi Kodwa, now issuing statements for the governing party.

Hogarth hopes Mabe has not been redeployed from the Luthuli House hot seat, and trusts he will be back soon with splendid assessments of the mood in the ANC.