Sunday Times

HOGARTH

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No money, but willing to litigate

In the social media world, users found to have posted lies or defamatory informatio­n are humble enough to delete such posts. But one Twitter user from Nkandla is unwilling to climb down. The Supreme Court of Appeal on Thursday dismissed Baba kaDuduzane’s applicatio­n to appeal against a KwaZulu-Natal High Court ruling that instructed him to delete a tweet which implied that former tourism minister Derek Hanekom was an apartheid spy. By Friday evening, our former No 1 had not complied with the ruling. It’s a clear sign that the man constantly pleading poverty may be willing to go to the highest court, and spend more money on legal fees, to protect his right to defame Hanekom.

Blaming his own judges

Aday before the judgment was handed down, the Nkandla Crooner told his son Duduzane, during their talk as part of their YouTube hit show Zooming with Zumas, that he was being targeted by South African judges who were always ruling against him. “Some people in the judiciary have unfortunat­ely pronounced that Zuma will never win a case in my court. It is a sad thing that in a free country that you fought for, you must feel you are in the same situation as it were during apartheid,” complained Baba kaD. Weren’t some of those judges appointed by him when he was president for nine years, or did he lend those powers to another family?

Best dressed on the buses

Minister of transport Fikile “Razzmatazz” Mbalula headed to Soweto on Thursday to check if the transport system in SA’s biggest township was ready for the opening up of the economy — and if there were measures in place to protect passengers from the coronaviru­s. Mbaweezy came highly overdresse­d for a Rea Vaya bus ride, wearing a suit and a matching face mask. If only public transport was as on point as his fashion sense.

Under water, or in seclusion?

Former young lions of the ANC kindergart­en have taken over parliament and brought their vocabulary with them. Hogarth’s colleague was a witness to this takeover during a virtual meeting of the portfolio committee on internatio­nal relations. The committee is chaired by the interim leader of the ANC Youth League, Tandi Mahambehla­la, and the governing party has filled it with other former youth leaders.

This is how their interactio­n with minister of internatio­nal relations Naledi Pandor went on Thursday night:

“Chair, all my comments and questions have been covered, so I will submarine them,” said ANC backbenche­r and Comrade Oros’s former deputy, Desmond Moela.

“No, honourable member, you can’t submarine, just say you’re quarantini­ng them,” responded Mahambehla­la.

Burying a blue past

Eight months after Gogo Helen showed him the door from the Blue Party, Pastor Dumelang has found a new calling — as a Twitter politician. This week Maimane was at it again, launching a petition against the government’s decision to reopen schools from June 1.

But while at it, Maimane behaved liked a jilted lover when he objected to a TimesLIVE report that referred to him as former leader of the Desperate Alliance.

“Guys, I have upgraded my politics. I am now with @OneSA.”

 ??  ?? Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
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