SO the champion of the working class, of the poorest of the poor, who eschews "crass materialism" and opulence in the face of the economic hardship that the downtrodden have to endure, has clay feet after-all.
Higher education minister and South African Communist Party (SACP) general-secretary, Blade Nzimande, is now driven around in a R1.1m car.
This after the furore over communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda and basic education minister Angie Motshekga bought themselves some spanking new wheels that did not speak to the austerity supposedly demanded by the Jacob Zuma presidency.
Following Nyanda and Motshekga's dressing down, announcements were made by the minister in the Presidency, Collins Chabane, that the handbook on ministers perks, which stipulates that one is entitled to a set of wheels costing no more than 70% of one's salary, was being looked at to ensure it is in line with the pro-poor attitude.
It is unclear whether this review process has even started, but it would be safe to assume it has not been concluded. After-all, if the mere setting up of a toll free line in the President's office - created so the public can speak to Zuma about complaints - can take from May to now, how much longer would it take to implement the intricate manoeuvers to scale down benefits and opulence?
It may well come to pass that there could indeed be a scaled down version of the perks for ministers, and those not so over eager to not lose may wait and then get a car in line with the new guidelines. But not Nzimande.
He has his new Beemer; this only two weeks after he decried what he called crass materialism that drives public service today.
And it should be clear that the argument against the new cars is not a call for ministers to drive around in the Ford Ka, the Tata, Tazz or Picanto.
Everything in moderation
I think there is recognition by all reasonable people that public servants, from ministers to other officials, who go into government to serve the public, must be resourced accordingly.
But does it have to be these big gas guzzlers? I can remember very well that when the new dawn arrived in 1994, minister Mac Maharaj was driven in a Toyota Cressida, and for some time, then minister Essop Pahad rode in a Camry.
Those two cars could not have been 70% of their salaries, but they had chosen to go the austerity route. In Tanzania, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, rode in a Peugeot as president of the country. His own home was the epitome of a president whose country was struggling with poverty.
Here we have politicians who mouth pro-poor slogans at platforms but whose lifestyles are the antithesis of what they preach. The poorest of the poor are comrades at rallies; before the big men and women rush off to the opulence they not only crave but live.
South Africa is officially in a recession. That means economic growth is declining. In these circumstances, companies are retrenching people as they themselves struggle to survive due to low demand from consumers.
Those retrenched join the millions others who have been sitting on street corners forever, and have no hope to be part of the 500 000 jobs Zuma says will have been created between June and December.
The public is asked to tighten their already tight belts, and we are told cuts are being introduced in government, to do away with the many consultants, and the catering for every government occasion.
The newspaper adverts with the minister's face are also set to go, as will be the T-Shirts with interesting slogans, we are told.
In the face of this, how is it that the communist in chief is not setting the example of anti crass materialism and opulence?
Or was Julius Malema right when he said there are elites in the tripartite alliance leadership that put themselves forward as leaders of the working class but whose lifestyle, of red wines and good food, bears no resemblance to the lives of the poverty stricken they claim to represent?
- Fin24.com