/ 5 October 2006

High on the hog

Any South African who uses national highways or main roads in our cities will sooner or later run into a government convoy. Depending on the rank of the politician being taxied, the convoy can stretch from two to eight cars.

At the last count, President Thabo Mbeki had eight. Jacob Zuma may be out of government, but he has almost as many.

They careen down the tarmac, hogging three lanes and ignoring speed limits as regulations that apply to mere mortals. They flash blue lights at any citizen who does not immediately give way. It is woeful spectacle for a government that claims to be one of the people.

It was this VIP culture that ANC secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe highlighted in a speech last weekend. Motlanthe referred to the use of police escorts to get ministers to meetings on time; to their use of VIP lounges at airports and separate boarding of planes; and their refusal to address meetings until other VIPs have arrived.

This, he said, had created a yawning social gap between the governors and the governed. Add to that the adulation of the high life among our politicians, and the impression is that it has taken South Africa 12 short years to emulate other developing countries whose leaders have forgotten who put them in power.

We have come to live with this VIP culture, hardly batting an eyelid at how quickly a mass-based political movement has degenerated. Yet sometimes a particular example of lavish living grabs the public imagination and excites opprobrium.

Such is the case of the Gauteng minister Paul Mashatile, whose credit card binges at various five-star eateries have provoked much talk.

Mashatile splurged R96 000 on a single post-budget function at Auberge Michel, one of Jozi’s most exclusive restaurants.

He could have chosen biryani or a braai from an aunty in Alexandra (where he grew up) and held a celebration in a city park. But his moderate and self-effacing response is that he will entertain his guests where and when he likes.

Such crass materialism and ostentation, suggesting a loss of ethical perspective, have come to define many members of the political classes. It stigmatises all who hold public office.

The shamelessness and loss of humility were also highlighted by former ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni’s generous send-off before he started his prison term. After all, what had he done? Only asked for a discount on a fancy car.

How does South Africa check the downward slide? For one thing, the system of government credit cards must be tightened. There is no national standard of good practice, though both the treasury and the Eastern Cape government have shown the way. And government should not give credit cards to senior civil servants or politicians.

In a poor country with one of the widest income gaps in the world, where economic desperation is visible everywhere, public life must be marked by humility and moral groundedness.

Politicians should be ready to take the train (and not just the Gautrain) or ride in taxis. Those who want to live high on the hog should not be allowed to do it on public money — they should move to private sector boardrooms.

Mama mia, we are on the ball!

We wonder who else has to reassure us that the excitement over hosting the 2010 World Cup is not too good to be true.

After Fifa president Sepp Blatter’s now famous “Mama mia” speech at the ceremony to mark the end of the German tournament, one would have thought that South Africans would stop spending sleepless nights worrying whether they would be able to host the tournament.

“I am optimistic for Africa — there is some information putting into question the ability to organise the world cup? Mamma Mia! Mamma Mia! The whole world trusts you. The Fifa family, 207 football associations, 250-million active participants in the world of football and one billion people behind the Fifa family said ‘yes’ to South Africa. We trust you,” Blatter said.

After that speech, we thought the matter was settled. But no, South Africans continue to look over their shoulder, believing that the tournament could be taken away. Our own media tell us that the stadiums will not be ready on time and that some of our stars themselves doubt our prospects of hosting a great tournament.

Bid bosses Danny Jordaan and Irvin Khoza have been at pains to dismiss the pessimistic talk. Jordaan, in particular, has innumerable times, explained that South Africa’s planning is ahead of Germany’s four years ahead of their 2006 tournament. But nobody wants to believe this.

Now Fifa general secretary Urs Linsi says we are doing okay. He says “Fifa has no doubts” about our ability to host the world’s biggest single sporting extravaganza. Perhaps we should ask him for an affidavit showing that he means what he is saying. Maybe that will reassure the many pessimists among us that we are on the ball.