I’ve always secretly suspected that Bheki Cele’s motivation for militarising the police was an excuse for him to get another hat to add to his already voluminous collection.
He was in full dress uniform for the opening of Parliament and looked dapper and distinguished in his official blues, adorned with a multiplicity of gold badges and epaulettes, topped off with a snazzy blue hat. He emerged on my list as the best-dressed man for what has become one of the most high-profile fashion events on the South African calendar. As Nic Dawes suggested, it’s like the J&B Met of the political world. Cape Town gets to host two major must watch fashion events in a matter of just two weeks. What a thrill for the Mother City.
The Met is the playground of the rich and famous — and even those who are simply famous for being famous — but the opening of Parliament, with its lengthy and highly exposed walk up the red carpet to the National Assembly, is an opportunity for the who’s who in the political world to show off their fashion savvy – or lack thereof as is often the case.
Obviously, we shouldn’t judge our public office-bearers based on what they wear, but it is always hugely entertaining. I bet they also enjoy the pageantry, based on the painstaking effort they seem to make. Though some refuse to participate in the report cards assessing their performance, we can always look at how they fare on the parliamentary runway.
Cele seems to have set a trend for the colour blue because several other people donned the colour with varying degrees of success. Was it a reflection of the mood among the political power brokers ahead of what’s going to be a trying year, with ambitious targets to be met on job creation and a looming local government election? It’s unlikely, judging by the boisterous and jovial festivities along the red carpet last Thursday.
Without any other glaring reason for why so many of our MPs wore blue, and not being an expert on things aesthetically pleasing, I must then surmise blue is the colour of the season. Here follows the blue brigade as I spotted them.
Pulling it off
Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille was fetching in a flowing blue-and-white, off-the-shoulder floor-length frock. For someone nearing 60, her skin looks bewilderingly baby-like: shiny, smooth and taut. A girl’s got to do what a girl’s got to do, I suppose.
Then along came Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, accompanied by the speaker of the National Assembly, Nomaindia Mfeketo, and the deputy chair of the National Council of Provinces, Thandi Memela. The two women lumbered along slowly alongside a statuesque and sprightly Motlanthe, who sported a dark suit and pale blue tie. Both women wore varying hues of dark blue, with Mfeketo the star of the piece in her Eastern-inspired two-piece suit with gold brocade detail.
The presidential spouses also followed the trend in almost identical blue raw-silk two-piece suits. But it was Zuma’s first wife, MaKhumalo, who pulled off the look best: she managed to look regal and wholesome as she toted a black Hermès clutch. She could, however, have done without the black beanie-like hat she was wearing.
Letting down the blue brigade in a serious way was Defence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, whose frock and hairdo made her seem as if she was auditioning for a spot as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. She could have taken a leaf out of Cele’s book and worn one of the defence force’s stately uniforms. The glacial white of the navy would have been resplendent on her lithe form. I’m always an admirer of her style and grace, but this was not her finest hour.
There were other colours on display that night. Bridgette Radebe, businesswoman and wife of Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, was by far the best-dressed woman. She wore a flowing camel-coloured chiffon robe, topped with an ornate bronze turban. She was glamorous yet understated. A close second was Zanele Mbeki, the wife of the former president, in a pretty and playful pink-and-black number.
The award for the best-looking couple must go to African Christian Democratic Party leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe and his wife, who wore, as they always do, matching outfits, this time in baroque bronze and gold. They looked sweet but quite comic as they grinned into every camera in sight.