Devil and the deep blue sea

Decisions, decisions. When faced with two bad choices, you are between a rock and a hard place.

After a seven-day delay, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have become a less attractive option for any party seeking support in today’s election of a successor to Herman Mashaba as Johannesburg mayor. They have suffered multiple reputational setbacks in the interim.

First, the Special Investigating Unit visited City of Joburg offices, looking for information on vehicle fleet deals worth more than R1.3 billion, according to the Mail & Guardian.

Second, amaBhungane investigative journalists reported, the “fleet company that paid Julius Malema” has failed to deliver on its Joburg contract. Through such publicity, the EFF brand has become associated with Afrirent, which segues into Effrirent.

The above reports contain allegations against people connected to the EFF and ANC. When amaBhungane broke the vehicle rent story a year ago, then-mayor Mashaba denied the claims. He committed “to openly revealing the findings” of an “independent” forensic investigation.

In a recent tweet Geoff Makhubo, the ANC’s mayoral candidate, also fighting off allegations of impropriety, asked Mashaba to share the findings as promised. So far, nix.

Lack of feedback is not uncommon. I have received no response to requests made last year, for the results of a forensic investigation into allegations of EFF/IFP collusion over Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) contracts.

The claims were made in an eight-page document in March 2018 by Sean Phillips, who had earlier resigned as JRA managing director.

The matter was covered in Business Day, Carte Blanche and Daily Maverick. I submitted the document to the city’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services in April 2018.

A third reputational setback for the EFF was the decision by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to charge Malema on five counts, including the unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, discharging a firearm in a built-up area or public place, and reckless endangerment to people or property.

In a fourth reputational setback for the EFF, the NPA charged Malema’s deputy Floyd Shivambu for assaulting a journalist. Shivambu is due in court tomorrow.

Last week’s column explained how the EFF relationship had already cost the DA one Joburg council seat, with at least one more to come. Now the EFF seems an even worse prospective partner.

Decisions, decisions. When faced with two bad choices, you are between a rock and a hard place. This is a modern version of the ancient Greek, between Scylla and Charybdis. I prefer the idiom of being between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Unappealing choices include allowing the ANC to regain control of South Africa’s wealthiest city, or renewing arrangements with the EFF. Both the ANC and EFF are tainted by corruption. Which is worse? Comparison would be as odious as the contenders. May the blue team act wisely.

Let’s not resume devil-take-the-hindmost, which penalises those at the back of the queue – residents – while those in front prosper.

Tenderly.