OLD ITALY WITH A FRESH SPIN

Perhaps the Guptas should take a break from this state capture business and go soak up the sun in Tshwane — that would be money well spent

Stop hating, folks. Those Guptas deserve every cent they’re getting. Think about it: how exhausted would you be if you had to make so many payments to so many people. And make major decisions — like who to pick as the next CEO of Eskom?

If the leaked e-mails are to be believed, consider all the following.

That great Africanist Mzwanele Jimmy Manyi, for example, wanted a seat on the board of one of our parastatals. He didn’t beat about the bush by talking to minions like Lynne Brown (she who pretends to be public enterprises minister) or “President” Jacob Zuma. Manyi fired off an e-mail, it is said, attaching his and an acquaintance’s

CVS, to Sahara CEO Ashu Chawla, with the words: “as discussed with

Tony [Gupta]”.

Poor Tony. The man seems to have appointed the ministers of mineral resources (Mosebenzi Zwane’s CV was forwarded to him a month before Ngoako Ramatlhodi was fired), finance, local government and, I’m sure, many others. It’s a heavy workload for anyone, and I wish people would appreciate the tough work the Guptas are putting in on behalf of their bank balances and the Zuma family.

When the Free State premier’s two sons — and Jessie Duarte’s son, too — went off to Dubai, the Guptas are said to have paid for everything. When Zuma’s son Duduzane got a woman pregnant, the Guptas seemingly took care of the R3.5m maintenance claim.

The Guptas are the Oprah Winfreys of, er, greasing palms. Eskom’s Matshela Koko was wined, dined and hopefully paid by the Guptas when they flew him to Dubai, it is said. ANC Youth League leader Collen Maine apparently had his speeches written for him and a big house bought for him in Pretoria.

A house in Dubai for the president? No problem. A sponsorship for Kebby Maphatsoe’s fake, 20-something-yearold Umkhonto we Sizwe veterans? By all means. Phew!

Anyway, if you want to drop some cash on some worthy items, you must try the new Tshwane eatery and retail space, Old Town Italy. It’s a lovely concept: a retail space chockful of Italian products — meats, pasta, sauces, wine, and a variety of cheeses and breads. I was happy to pick up a bottle of Malfy gin and some bits and bobs.

It’s a high-end supermarket and a restaurant in one. The market is superb — fresh, organic and superbly curated.

My friend Frans Mojela and I sat down for a meal. The décor is pretty cool. The market dominates the middle bit and the tables are set against the windows, so you enjoy the lovely, warm Tshwane sunlight flooding in from the square outside. We had been given a table by the delightful maître d’, a young woman from Zimbabwe.

I ordered a negroni, just to test the waters. It was swiftly brought to me. It was very stiff indeed.

The menu is versatile — breakfast and lunch, when the deli is open and a full menu of meats, cheeses, salads, pizza, pasta and secondi is available.

There was a downside: many items on the menu were not available. Why?

Anyway, we enjoyed ham, salami and paté to start, then attacked the seafood spaghetti and a 250 g fillet.

The fillet was well done instead of medium rare, while the pasta was, well, average.

This left me with a dilemma, really. I love the look, the sense, of this place. But it needs to ramp things up a bit in the kitchen, which lets it down.

Still, we had great fun — it’s absolutely worth a visit. Old Town Italy ★★★½

Menlyn Maine Shopping Centre 210 Amarand Avenue

Menlyn, Tshwane

Tel: (012) 348-2802

★★★★★ Pravin Gordhan

★★★★ Excellent ★★★ Good

★★ Poor ★ “President” Jacob Zuma

I wish people would appreciate the tough work the Guptas are putting in on behalf of their bank balances and the Zuma family