Recent news reports have been full of leading government officials’ crazy antics. But it’s not funny anymore.
When all you want to do is cry for your beloved country, sometimes it’s also fine to laugh, I guess. After all, this is South Africa, where there are plenty of things to laugh about, especially because the political leadership has seemingly become a never-ending comedy show of sorts.
Recently the main act was the stand-off between suspended Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza and police minister Fikile Mbalula. Ntlemeza, to Mbalula’s horror, defied a court order and the minister’s stern directive by showing up at the Hawks’ offices. The court went on to dismiss Ntlemeza’s application for leave to appeal against an earlier setting aside of his appointment.
According to Mbalula’s version of events as expressed in a press conference on 25 April, the Hawks boss had apparently gate-crashed a management meeting of the crime-fighting unit and “ordered the head of supply chain to give him a car, which is now roaming around the streets of Pretoria, or wherever he is this afternoon. He also has a cellphone of government in his possession…”
Simply put, Ntlemeza went rogue and the internet went crazy – with laughter. Soon after the press briefing, hilarious memes flooded social media poking fun at “the search for Ntlemeza who absconded with state property”. It was all very entertaining. But Mbalula warned – “this is not just a banana republic”.
No?
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