The latest shock to come from the province of shocks, a R200million corruption scandal implicating former senior Eastern Cape provincial government officials, ironically comes as no earth-shattering revelation at all.
This from a province that has lurched from one corruption scandal to another - all relating to public funds and mismanagement since 1994.
Not even central government interventions and the soporific watch of three premiers have been able to salvage the situation.
Instead the aftershocks from the revelation of the siphoning of R100 million from a children's feeding scheme last year have yet to peter out.
Last week an explosive report on corruption in the province named three top ANC leaders - including Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile - as figures behind dodgy deals that benefited them and their families.
The revelations are contained in a report by Judge Ronnie Pillay, who headed a commission to probe corruption in the province. Stofile has denied any involvement.
The report comes in the wake of a long-running fraud and corruption trial against former political high-flying Eastern Cape MECs Max Mamase and his wife Neo.
The couple, former MECs of agriculture and social development, faces six counts of fraud and corruption linked to an alleged R15,6 million land deal that was authorised unlawfully.
Without prejudging the outcome of either cases, it is noteworthy that proper governance has proven an elusive goal in the province.
The indictment against the central government is its failure to review failures of its initiatives such as sending groups of eminent persons on troubleshooting missions at great expense.
Still, questions arise about Premier Nosimo Balindlela's role in preventing the Pillay report from being made public knowledge or not holding those implicated accountable.
At best, Eastern Cape is guilty of a massive cover-up that has blown up in the face of Premier Nosimo Balindlela and shown her up as unfit for high office.
She must resign now and be replaced by a neutral person.
One scandal after another
The latest shock to come from the province of shocks, a R200million corruption scandal implicating former senior Eastern Cape provincial government officials, ironically comes as no earth-shattering revelation at all.
This from a province that has lurched from one corruption scandal to another - all relating to public funds and mismanagement since 1994.
Not even central government interventions and the soporific watch of three premiers have been able to salvage the situation.
Instead the aftershocks from the revelation of the siphoning of R100 million from a children's feeding scheme last year have yet to peter out.
Last week an explosive report on corruption in the province named three top ANC leaders - including Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile - as figures behind dodgy deals that benefited them and their families.
The revelations are contained in a report by Judge Ronnie Pillay, who headed a commission to probe corruption in the province. Stofile has denied any involvement.
The report comes in the wake of a long-running fraud and corruption trial against former political high-flying Eastern Cape MECs Max Mamase and his wife Neo.
The couple, former MECs of agriculture and social development, faces six counts of fraud and corruption linked to an alleged R15,6 million land deal that was authorised unlawfully.
Without prejudging the outcome of either cases, it is noteworthy that proper governance has proven an elusive goal in the province.
The indictment against the central government is its failure to review failures of its initiatives such as sending groups of eminent persons on troubleshooting missions at great expense.
Still, questions arise about Premier Nosimo Balindlela's role in preventing the Pillay report from being made public knowledge or not holding those implicated accountable.
At best, Eastern Cape is guilty of a massive cover-up that has blown up in the face of Premier Nosimo Balindlela and shown her up as unfit for high office.
She must resign now and be replaced by a neutral person.
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