Politicians are masters at obfuscation, a lovely word describing the action of making something obscure, unclear or unintelligible.
Until recently, I believed South African president Jacob Zuma to be obfuscation’s unchallenged champion. But an underling, appointed in the notorious March 31 “midnight reshuffle”, has launched a serious challenge.
With an Eddie Murphy smile and shiny suits, new finance minister Malusi Gigaba strikes a fashionable figure. But the flashy appearance hides a seriously thick skin. And, from his behaviour, the confident arrogance only possessed by the deeply ignorant.
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On Friday, Gigaba had a follow-up meeting with a group of South African corporate leaders who have formed into a group which calls itself “The CEO Initiative”.
For context, the CEO Initiative was instigated to rally behind unblemished activist Pravin Gordhan when he was finmin. Gordhan worked around the clock to avert the country’s debt becoming downgraded to junk status. In a public expression of support, these CEOs cleared their diaries, donned SA scarves and joined Gordhan on an international roadshow.
On other days, members of the CEO Initiative align themselves with Save SA, an organisation led by the courageous Anglogold chairman Sipho Pityana. Save SA strongly and publicly condemns the Zuma Administration as corrupt (which it is) and incompetent (ditto).
Gigaba, on the other hand, is an obvious favourite of SA’s deeply flawed president and his soon-to-be-scarpering crony capitalist pals, the Gupta family. Disclosures now coming to light show it was in areas that Gigaba had ultimate responsibility where the Guptas secured some of their most profitable deals, including Home Affairs, SA Airways, Transnet and Denel.
Everyone in the room on Friday was aware of these realities. Yet the CEOs still showed up. To give them some benefit of the doubt, at their initial meeting with Gigaba in June they did raise the issue of State Capture, urging the new finmin to push for an independent Judicial Commission of Inquiry. Friday was a follow-up at his request. The CEOs expected an answer.
Perhaps, they figured, pigs can fly. They still don’t.
Gigaba never mentioned State Capture. As any rational mind would have concluded before considering the invitation. Expecting anything else was like betting on turkeys to vote for Christmas. All we saw of the issue was a single line in the official statement which ended with a line “welcoming” Denel’s decision to exit its Asian joint venture with the Guptas.
The empty suit did, however, admit SA Airways is in a R10bn hole and needs yet more taxpayer money. But he condemned “hysteria” suggesting government was going to sell its Telkom stake to plug the hole. Bizarre considering that proposal was leaked from SAA board papers.
Gigaba then said he would pay “close attention” to other State-owned enterprises because government is ultimately responsible to ensure they are financially viable. Aren’t we all sleeping easier knowing at least that penny has dropped?
South Africans are a tolerant bunch. And the better educated are often a tad too diplomatic.
So how about the truth in words of two syllables: Gigaba is a member of the Zupta cabal. This leopard will never change his spots. He should be facing the criminal charges for complicity in gifting national assets to the Guptas. Not holding forth with the good and the great.
Even showing up to dignify Gigaba’s waffle is disrespectful to the courageous Gordhan and what he stands for. Surely that those worthies in the CEO Initiative understand that much? It’s high time they followed the example of counterparts in the mining sector who lack no testicular fortitude in dealing with Zuptoids.
The 2019 election cannot come soon enough.
