This is land of syrupy handshakes for ex parastatal helmsmen

THE axing of Brian Molefe is another idiotic faux pas in the pantomime of jokes!

This is a uniquely South African trait and Malusi Gigaba has the guts to say that government will find another position for him. The ANC made him an MP when he left Eskom in November.

For some time, poor performing ministers and senior government officials, often relics who are ready for pasture and have passed their sell-by dates, are re-packaged with new expiry dates and offered ambassadorial posts in foreign lands where they can host embassy parties, drape themselves in liberation scarves and hoist the South African flag.

They say this country is the promised land of milk and honey, but it is also the land of sugar-coated and golden, syrupy handshakes for former helmsmen at parastatals.

Coleman Andrews walked away with R232 million after just two years at SAA. Dali Mpofu got a R7m boost when he was asked to leave SABC and now a R30m payout is on the cards for Molefe.

Also political pilferers continue to loot the government kitty of millions through bribery-infused kickbacks, baksheesh and corrupt deals.

A Chinese court jailed for life a former governor of Guangdong province after he was found guilty of corruption, bribery and abuse of power. Liu Zhigeng took 98m yuan (R183.3m) of bribes between 1993 and 2012.

There are many like Zhigeng here, who have their fingers in the honey jar. All the self-help rich schemes continue to flourish against the backdrop of a president who is fighting for political survival.

Together with the president and his son Duduzane, the Gupta brothers, Ajay, Atul and Tony are the nexus of the state capture scandal which has been looming for months.

Sensational revelations of implicating e-mails with far-reaching consequences have come forth with a pungent waft from the spicy bouillabaisse the respondents have stewed for so long.

As the heat gets turned on, it gets spicier, heading for a mouth-watering end.

Word around the fire is about the Guptas’ funding Duduzane’s wedding and seeking a second residency for Zuma in Dubai.

Dubai seems to be a favourite international rendezvous for the deep-pocketed brothers because that’s where cabinet ministers, Des van Rooyen and Mosebenzi Zwane were driving around in flashy cars and living in penthouse suites in trendy hotels.

They say too many cooks spoil the broth and some of the many names that will simmer will include Molefe, Gigaba, Ronica Ragavan , Ashu Chawla, Nazeem Howa, Van Rooyen, Zwane, Collen Maine and Faith Muthambi, to name but a few. Shallcross, Durban