Gigaba reckless with sex video

We have sympathy for the embarrassing situation in which Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba found himself in over the weekend. A sexually explicit video – which he says was intended for his wife – was posted on social media, forcing him to respond. He says the material was “stolen” after his phone was illegally intercepted or “hacked” in 2016-17 and that he has been subjected to a number of blackmail attempts related to it since then.

While it is not pleasant to see a person and his family squirming in the public spotlight, there are a number of disturbing aspects about this incident.

First, how good is security around senior government people if such interception or hacking is possible? Given the billions spent on security for ministers, it is clearly not effective enough.

More disturbing, though, is the fact the material exists in the first place.

While not being prudish – and acknowledging that what happens between a man and his wife is their private business – we have to ask if it is not reckless for a minister (who might be vulnerable to coercion) to do this in the first place?

You are a minister, not a randy schoolboy.