Just when we thought the excesses of government and its officials could get no worse, South Africans this week learnt that the residences of President Jacob Zuma will be refurbished at a cost of a whopping R400-million.
The revelations came via Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, who was answering questions in Parliament.
Among the improvements are work on a sauna and steam room, "attention to a swimming pool" and escape routes.
This at a time when South Africans are told to tighten their belts in anticipation of a double-dip recession. As always, the taxpayer is expected to grin and bear it when already over-fed government officials and functionaries gorge themselves while millions live in squalor.
To argue that the costly refurbishments were not authorised by Zuma himself cuts no ice. He is the supreme accounting officer and the buck stops with him. He has the authority to call off the insanity and cancel the plans.
But then our president has never been known to make any firm decisions. For months now he has been stalling with a decision to act against errant Cooperative Governance Minister Sicelo Shiceka, who should have been fired on the spot for flagrant abuse of millions of taxpayers' rands.
Simultaneously, the president has been paralytic on the fate of the selfsame police commissioner General Bheki Cele and Minister Mahlangu-Nkabinde, who were fingered by the public protector for irregular acquisition of police headquarters that were to cost the taxpayer R1,7-billion. Rather than pronounce firmly, Zuma's spin doctors fob off enquiries with the standard refrain that he is "still applying his mind".
Failure to act swiftly and decisively is a major undoing of our president, as evidenced by his reluctance (or fear) to confront and stop the histrionics of enfant terrible Julius Malema.
He let the rot fester and only sprang to action too late, when Malema had become too strong and risky to discipline. It is an open secret that those who harbour political ambitions within the ANC cross swords with Malema at their own peril.
We can't hold our breaths hoping Zuma will act decisively on this gratuitous expenditure on his homes and offices.
It boggles the mind, though, that Zuma's physical comfort - which is already in abundance - can warrant such vast expenditure when children still learn under trees and communities use bucket toilet systems. This is a betrayal of millions of poor voters who trusted this government with their votes.
Zuma must stop the rot
Just when we thought the excesses of government and its officials could get no worse, South Africans this week learnt that the residences of President Jacob Zuma will be refurbished at a cost of a whopping R400-million.
The revelations came via Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, who was answering questions in Parliament.
Among the improvements are work on a sauna and steam room, "attention to a swimming pool" and escape routes.
This at a time when South Africans are told to tighten their belts in anticipation of a double-dip recession. As always, the taxpayer is expected to grin and bear it when already over-fed government officials and functionaries gorge themselves while millions live in squalor.
To argue that the costly refurbishments were not authorised by Zuma himself cuts no ice. He is the supreme accounting officer and the buck stops with him. He has the authority to call off the insanity and cancel the plans.
But then our president has never been known to make any firm decisions. For months now he has been stalling with a decision to act against errant Cooperative Governance Minister Sicelo Shiceka, who should have been fired on the spot for flagrant abuse of millions of taxpayers' rands.
Simultaneously, the president has been paralytic on the fate of the selfsame police commissioner General Bheki Cele and Minister Mahlangu-Nkabinde, who were fingered by the public protector for irregular acquisition of police headquarters that were to cost the taxpayer R1,7-billion. Rather than pronounce firmly, Zuma's spin doctors fob off enquiries with the standard refrain that he is "still applying his mind".
Failure to act swiftly and decisively is a major undoing of our president, as evidenced by his reluctance (or fear) to confront and stop the histrionics of enfant terrible Julius Malema.
He let the rot fester and only sprang to action too late, when Malema had become too strong and risky to discipline. It is an open secret that those who harbour political ambitions within the ANC cross swords with Malema at their own peril.
We can't hold our breaths hoping Zuma will act decisively on this gratuitous expenditure on his homes and offices.
It boggles the mind, though, that Zuma's physical comfort - which is already in abundance - can warrant such vast expenditure when children still learn under trees and communities use bucket toilet systems. This is a betrayal of millions of poor voters who trusted this government with their votes.
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