As it turns out even if you hopelessly fail to provide the president with solid intelligence during an attempted insurrection and uphold the duties of the ministerial portfolio you’ve been entrusted with and axed from the same president’s cabinet – you can still earn a promotion.
That’s the cushy spot former defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula finds herself in after she emerged as the ANC’s preferred choice to become the next speaker in parliament after the incumbent speaker, Thandi Modise, was drafted into the cabinet to take over the defence ministry.
In today’s Business Day editorial, the newspaper says that Mapisa-Nqakula has occupied three ministerial roles since she entered government – home affairs, correctional services and most recently defence. But as the newspaper correctly puts it, she has “arguably contributed less to society than one of parliament’s wooden benches.”
Business Day offers a scathing rebuke of the former minister and points out her many failings and political faux pas during her ministerial tenure. It seems only in the ANC can you royally mess up in your assigned job only to land up in another position of power.
Reactions to President Ramaphosa giving testimony at the Zondo Commission yesterday have been varied with much made of his apparent threat of resignation following the firing of former finance minister Nhlanhla Nene only for him to stay on in the cabinet and push back from the inside.
But Karyn Maughn writes that Ramaphosa’s defensiveness around former Prasa board chairperson Popo Molefe is profoundly concerning. Molefe tried hard during his tenure to save the taxpayer money when the looting at Prasa took hold even as the ANC top brass became aware of the rot.
“…when asked about evidence that he and the ANC’s top six had done nothing when given clear corroboration of corruption and maladministration at the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), he became defensive to the point of hostility.” [For subscribers]
Here’s a roundup of the most interesting opinions and analyses:
Cuttlefish squirting out ink in a sea of lies – Bryan Rostron, Business Day
SA will rust if policy scraps persist and leadership isn’t polished – Peter Bruce, Business Day [For subscribers]
Secrecy over Sbu Shabalala’s exit – Rob Rose, Financial Mail [For subscribers]
Women’s Day celebrations out of touch with reality on the ground – Kekeletso Nakeli-Dhliwayo, The Citizen [For subscribers]
The medal for SA’s poor turn at the Olympics goes to the ANC – Jonathan Jansen, Sunday Times Daily
Look in the mirror, Mr Mthethwa – Marius Roodt, News24
Godongwana has his work cut out, and he can’t do it alone – Jabulani Sikhakhane, Fin24 [For subscribers]
China’s regulatory crackdown on tech gives Prosus a huge Tencent headache – Toby Shapshak, Daily Maverick
