This year’s Wimbledon served up contrasting finals. The men’s match was a titanic affair between two evenly matched gladiators. The women’s event, a one-sided victory for a 27 year old Romanian who became her nation’s first champion after virtually sweeping her ten year older opponent off the court.
The conflict between Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane looks like an exaggerated version of Simona Halep’s one-sided victory. Except this time the one being blasted off the court aside hasn’t managed to score a single point.
Yesterday’s High Court verdict by Judge Sulet Potterill was about as comprehensive a legal victory as you’ll witness. Gordhan won on every count, with the judge using language similar to that in last week’s scathing Constitutional Court finding against the PP. The judge also ruled that Mkhwebane, together with her office and unlikely ally the EFF, have to pay the costs of their opponent’s legal team.
With yet another finding against her, Mkhwebane is hanging onto her office by the tips of her fingernails. Observing her squirming is like watching the slow motion of a car crash. Riveting in a macabre way because everyone knows how it will end. After yesterday, the inevitable is ever closer.
*PS: From noon to 1pm today our Personal Finance Live show is on Biznews Radio where we’ll be focusing on ways for South Africans to invest in global property. First up Magnus Heystek (Brenthurst); then Justin Clarke (Orbvest) and the final half hour is with Cape property development doyen Johnny Rabie (Century City etc). If you miss the live show, not to worry, it can be downloaded.
