A bully and a misogynist

What lies beneath the dignified, senior counsel robes that Dali Mpofu wears to court? This week he showed us. It’s that thuggish creature that is the bane of school grounds everywhere. The bully.

Appearing at the Zondo commission, Mpofu told public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan’s advocate, Michelle le Roux, to “shut up”. Then he told Gordhan to shut up. Then he complained when deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo reminded him who was in charge. Zondo said afterwards he had never seen anything like it before. But this Pugnax Mamparus was unrepentant, tweeting later that he is “so ready for this fight” for the dignity of black people and black professionals. Except that the only dignity damaged was his own, and by himself. With a whiff of misogyny too.