Johannesburg – Theirs are cushy jobs from which few would willingly resign even when they have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
Our politicians simply lack the moral probity to be guided by their conscience.
The nation has become shockproof to the myriad stories of corruption by our public representatives.
As local government elections loom this year, you can rest assured that one of the first acts by the incoming mayors will be to buy a luxury cars with ratepayers’ money.
It has almost become a custom that no longer raises eyebrows. This they will execute despite protestations from opposition parties.
A car, in their warped minds, is a tool of the trade that they are entitled to.
That these goons earn enough to aord their own shiny wheels from their pockets is an illusion.
The same culture permeates the provincial and national government levels. MECs and ministers love their bling cars, especially when the state picks up the tab.
The irony is that all these popinjays earn more than R1-million a year and easily qualify for vehicle finance.
The other irony is that when their thieving fingers are eventually prised loose from their positions, their bosses will be at pains to point out the good work they did during their tenure.
Remember how former communications minister Dina Pule, she of red-soled Christian Louboutin heels, squirmed when a parliament ethics committee found her guilty of malfeasance?
Her colleagues gave her hugs of consolation when the late Ben Turok threw the book at her.
This week another health MEC bit the dust.
That Eastern Cape health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba survived until now is a mystery.
This is a lady who shocked the nation when in a televised briefing with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize exclaimed: “Andidikwe [I am fed up],” without realising that her microphone was still switched on. But that is not what led to her being guillotined by her boss, premier Oscar Mabuyane.
Gomba is implicated in the pilfering of millions in public funds during the arrangements of Nelson Mandela’s memorial services and funeral in 2013.
Gomba was a councillor in the Buffalo City metro at the time and she is out on bail after she was charged alongside 14 others last week.
Mabuyane removed her after she ignored his pleas to follow her conscience and resign.
The premier was at pains to thank Gomba for a job well done during a pandemic, but it is no secret that Gomba was out of her depth and the Eastern Cape bungled the response to Covid-19.
Her department scandalously bought crappy motorcycles with side cars as ambulances for rural patients.
Gomba joins the scrap heap of insolence and follows in the footsteps of her Gauteng counterpart Bandile Masuku who was dumped after being implicated in benefiting his friends in the PPE corruption mess last year.
Masuku is still fighting to clear his name but his chances of a comeback are zilch. Masuku took on the portfolio soiled by his comrade, Qedani Mahlangu, of the Life Esidimeni scandal.
Gomba and Masuku may be gone but many of their comrades with dark clouds over their heads refuse to heed their consciences and resign because, hey, who would ditch the perks of public office voluntarily?
It is just not done in this country. Good riddance
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