Each day, reporters dutifully note for the record that attempts to reach the deployed cadres who masquerade as “spokespersons” have failed because the cadres have, in a gross dereliction of duty, deliberately made themselves unavailable by switching off their cellphones or ignoring emails – this despite the fact that, on average, they are earning R50 000 a month or more. What you find here is the country in microcosm. Huge amounts of taxpayers’ money being siphoned off by people who, in many instances, provide nothing of consequence in return, says Ed Herbst.
“The national treasury did not respond to questions.”
Mail & Guardian 9/1/2015 “21 days and Eskom’s broke”
“ Three weeks, two emails and an SMS later, I was no wiser. Mr Kganyago offered only silence.”
Daily Maverick 11/12/2014 “Where have the SABC’s indicator arrows gone?”
“Numerous attempts were made to find out from the defaulting municipalities how they intended to pay their arrears to avoid further threats of disconnection. Only one municipality has a spokesman (Matjhabeng), and he was not answering his phone. The switchboards at the other municipalities rang all afternoon on Friday, unanswered. The lights might have been on, but nobody was home.”
Daily Maverick 6/10/2014 “Free State electricity’s impenetrable darkness”
“Numerous attempts to contact the municipality failed, as no-one was answering the council switchboard.”
Daily Maverick 21/1/2015 “Steady decline: eMakhazeni’s municipal disaster.”
“While the country was in Stage Two yesterday, there were reports of an urgent management meeting at Eskom.
“But none of its spokesmen was available to comment on the meeting or load shedding and the media department set up to handle urgent enquiries could not be reached.”
The Times, 27/1/2015 “Eskom in emergency mode.”
It’s sad that the promise that there would be the sort of transparency and accountability that was lacking during the apartheid era hasn’t transpired, that so much money has been fruitlessly blown on the salaries, perks and golden handshakes of such “silent spokespersons”. I have provided some examples here, citing the quote pertaining to the mute official, the headline and a link to the relevant newspaper article. If no link is provided it is because the article, such as those quoting the Sunday Times, is behind a firewall.
They are in chronological order within their specific groups.
Mac Maharaj
“Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj failed to respond to questions about whether any such functions have been held at Nkandla and whether Zuma has made any contribution to the costs at all.”
Mail & Guardian 5/7/2013 “Nkandla: Number One emerges a clear winner”
“Despite repeated requests, Zuma and the presidency failed to respond to questions about the meeting, what transpired there and who advised him to meet Breuer.”
City Press 17/11/2013 “The great Zuma con.”
“By late yesterday, presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj had yet to respond to questions on whether Zuma had received the draft proclamation and why it had taken more than six months to sign it off.”
City Press 17/11/2013 “New threat for Thuli Madonsela”
“Zuma’s spokesperson Mac Maharaj did not react to questions on Wednesday.”
Beeld 4/12/2013 “Protector: Zuma appointed Nkandla architect”
“Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj did not respond to numerous calls from the Daily Dispatch yesterday”
Daily Dispatch 12/12/2103 “Outrage over fake interpreter.”
“Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj did not respond to questions.”
Mail & Guardian 26/9/2014 “Jacob Zuma’s secret nuke ‘stitch-up’.”
“Presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj failed to respond to written questions”
Mail & Guardian 7/11/2014 “Jacob Zuma links to ‘untouchable’ SAA boss”
“Neither Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj nor police spokesman Solomon Makgale were available for comment.”
The Times 23/11/2014 “Millions later, Nkandla is falling apart”
No info from GCIS
“The Department of Justice referred all questions to the Government Communication and Information System’s Phumla Williams.
“The Star was unable to get comment from her as she did not answer her phone.”
The Star 13/12/2013 “More claims against ‘fake’ interpreter”
“The Department of Communications also did not provide comment regarding this issue.”
My Broadband 7/4/2014 “How not to blow R756 million – Court papers reveal that the Department of Communications was allegedly planning to blow R756 million on advertising.”
The not so garrulous government
“The Cape Town Home Affairs department did not respond to GroundUp’s multiple requests for comment”
GroundUp 26/7/2013 “17 years in SA – and ordered to leave”
“NPA spokesperson Medupe Simasiku did not return calls and texted questions on the matter”
City Press 24/8/2013 “Hawks ready to proceed with Bobby Motaung case, but is NPA?”
“Nóg die voorsitter nóg die Nyda-woordvoerder het op oproepe en e-pos-boodskappe reageer”
Die Burger 14/9/2013 “Nuttelose’ agentskap kry R8 milj. se prestasiebonusse”
“Phiyega’s spokesperson would not comment on this matter.”
City Press 15/9/2013 “Cops lash out at Phiyega’s niece”
“Questions sent to Mapisa-Nqakula’s spokesperson, Sonwabo Mbananga, went unanswered.”
Mail & Guardian 20/9/2013 “Armscor sackings don’t fly”
“Attempts on Saturday to contact Mapisa-Nqakula’s spokesman, Sonwabo Mbananga, proved unsuccessful.”
Weekend Argus 13/10/2013 “Minister splurges R1m on new Lexus”
Absolutely No Communication
“Manyi could not be reached for comment, despite repeated attempts by the South African Press Association.”
Mail & Guardian 24/2/2011 “Manyi: ‘Over-supply’ of coloureds in Western Cape”
“The ANC Youth League’s spin doctors were mum on Thursday morning about the expulsion of their leader and the suspension of their spokesman.
ANCYL spokeswoman Magdalene Moonsamy said it had been decided not to talk to the media.
“We are not going to comment. No,” said Moonsamy, who is also the chief operations officer of the National Youth Development Agency.”
SAPA 1/3/ 2012 – “ANC spindoctors mum”
“MDB spokesperson Jabu Mthembu could not be reached for comment.”
SAPA 23/10/2013 “DA calls for MDB chair’s resignation”
“Neither Sizani nor his spokesman, Moloto Mothapo, responded to requests for comment.”
Sunday Times 3/11/2013 “ANC sex pest in talks over senior position in parliament”
“The international relations department could not be reached for comment on Monday.”
Business Day 4/11/2013 “Israeli MP urges SA Jews to pack bags after minister’s comments.”
“Pule could not be reached for comment.”
“Joemat-Pettersson’s spokesman, Palesa Mokomele, could not be reached for comment.”
The Times 6/12/2013 “Pule must go –Thuli”
“Government spokeswoman Phumla Williams was unable to respond to the allegations as she did not know which department hired him.
“She said she also did not know about his qualifications or expertise.
“Another government spokeswoman, Manusha Pillai, said yesterday it was the first time they had heard of it.
“Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj did not respond to numerous calls from the Daily Dispatch yesterday.”
Daily Dispatch 12/12/2013 “Outrage over fake interpreter”
“ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu could not be reached for comment.”
“The newspaper said the PIC failed to answer questions, and the ANC did not respond to its question on whether Lawal had given it funding.”
SAPA 14/2/2014 “FF Plus wants probe into deal involving state’s pension fund.”
“Attempts to get comment from Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula failed.”
The Times 5/8/2014 “Bafana TV rights are ours: SABC.”
“Youth league spokesperson Magdalene Moonsamy did not respond to several requests for comment.”
SAPA 16/8/2014 “ANCYL spin doctors mum”
“Provincial education department spokesman Jasper Zwane referred queries to David Nkambule, spokesman for the public works and transport department.
“Nkambule could not immediately be reached for comment.”
SAPA 16/8/2014 “Mpumalanga school transport suspended”
“The SANDF has failed to respond to detailed queries, despite being given a week to do so.”
Mail & Guardian 28/8/2014 “Bangui bunglers score R209m in contracts”
“Gordhan did not respond to repeated requests for comment, despite initially offering to do so”
Sunday Times 19/10/2014 “Pravin’s pals score on early retirement – SARS immediately rehires deputy commissioner”
“Modise could not be reached for comment”
Sunday Times 19/10/2014 “Farmworker says NCOP chair Thandi Modise still owes him cash”
“Police spokesman Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale did not respond to GroundUp’s queries.”
GroundUp 21/10/2014 “R400 million firearms control system in shambles”
The not so civil Civil Service
“Provincial spokesperson Thulani Zwane could not be reached for comment.”
City Press 2/08/2013 “Cops evicted, Public Works didn’t pay rent.”
“NPA spokesperson Medupe Simasiku did not return calls and texted questions on the matter”
City Press 24/8/2013 “Hawks ready to proceed with Bobby Motaung case, but is NPA?”
Mum Municipalities
“Asked yesterday by the Daily Dispatch to comment on the report, Mbina-Mthembu declined.
“I do not work on Sundays and never call me again on Sundays. The report is clear who made the payments … so I am not going to explain that again,” Mbina-Mthembu said”
Daily Dispatch 14/7/2014 “No paper trail for PE’s R9m Mandela service
“Joburg did not respond to questions.”
The Mercury 11/8/2014 “Durban city boss rakes in millions”
Several attempts by yesterday to get comment from Ndlambe municipality spokesman Khulukile Mbolekwa were unsuccessful at the time of going to print despite calls and messages.
Daily Dispatch 7/11/2014 “Officials may foot council bill”
“Officials from the City of Joburg were not available for comment yesterday but a city spokesperson said earlier this year that the city intended to spend R2 billion on fixing roads.”
Saturday Star 30/11/2013 “Mbekis abandon car in traffic, walk”
Uncommunicative commissions
“Moabi declined to elaborate on why he believed any aspect of the public hearings would be heard in camera, and the commission spokesperson William Baloyi could not be reached for comment.”
Mail & Guardian 1/8/2013 “Former arms deal investigator Moabi praises Legodi resignation”
“Moabi declined to elaborate on why he believed any aspect of the public hearings would be heard in camera. The Arms Procurement Commission spokesperson William Baloyi refused to comment on Painting’s statement.”
Mail & Guardian 2/8/13 “Another arms deal commission resignation over ‘second agenda’”
“Attempts to reach SAHRC spokesman Isaac Mangena for comment were unsuccessful.”
Daily Dispatch 7/10/2014 “Bus budget cuts out pupils”
Mute MECs
“Rural development MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane and his spokesman Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha were also unavailable for comment.”
Daily Dispatch 23/1/2015 “Outrage over R60k ‘party’ for 23 people”
Who’s your daddy?
“SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago refused to comment on the investigations.”
City Press 17/2/2008 “Plot to kill SABC auditor”
“Mr Molefe was placed on special leave due to issues that pertain to human resource policy matters and it is therefore strictly an operational matter,” SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said in a statement at the time.
“He could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.”
Cape Times 25/4/2013 “SABC pays millions to suspended exec”
“SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago declined to comment on the contract with MultiChoice, saying it was a commercial matter.”
Business Day 30/9/2013 “SABC could face R100m penalty”
“SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago could not immediately be reached for comment.”
City Press 19/10/2013 “Right2Know to protest SABC canning The Big Debate.”
“The SABC did not respond to a request for comment.”
Mail & Guardian 1/11/2013 “Dung flies over rhino funding”
“The SABC could not be reached for comment on the allegations.”
SAPA 11/12/2013 “SABC bans Zuma booing: City Press”
“Ms Muthambi, Ms Tshabalala and SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago did not respond to requests for information.”
Business Day 14/7/2014 “Parliament vows to grill minister and SABC board over appointment.”
“SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago had not responded to calls or text messages at the time of going to press.”
Cape Times 10/9/2014 “Axe hovers over SABC boss.”
Writing in The Times, Tom Eaton (“A look outside the box – the arts are best served in theatres, not in the haunted halls of the SABC” 7/10/2014) describes the state broadcaster as “… the great sucking cesspit of despair that is the SABC”.
Should a reporter want comment from SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago about the latest chapter in “the great sucking cesspit of despair” soap opera, he or she knows they are in for the long haul – but at least they are familiar with the sequence:
- Kaizer Kganyago cannot be contacted
- When he is eventually contacted he says he is unaware of the latest crisis
- However, even if he was aware of it, he cannot help you because:
- It involves a member of staff and the SABC does not comment on staff matters or …
- It involves a contract and the SABC does not comment on contractual matters or …
- It involves the SABC board and who know what the board is up to? He certainly doesn’t or …
- It involves what the SABC has or, more often, has not broadcast on its news bulletins and nobody, but nobody, should dare question how the SABC executes what it sees as its mandate on news policy.
In the Auckland Park headquarters of the SABC he is known as “broadcasting’s answer to Comical Ali” but the title does not, not even remotely, do justice to the man or his formidable talents.
When, on 24 January 2011, Judge Neels Claassen delivered an excoriating judgment in the Johannesburg High Court against Snuki Zikalala, Dali Mpofu and the Thabo Mbeki-appointed board about their role in the blacklisting scandal he also said that Kaizer Kganyago had repeatedly misled the listening public in his live radio interview with John Perlman on the scandal. In response Kganyago issued a bizarre statement in which he said the Claassen judgment was not really about the SABC at all and, in fact, the judge had made only “passing references” to his employer and, by inference, him:
“The Judge in delivering his judgment made passing references to the SABC, which has led to misrepresentation by some media outlets that the ruling was against the SABC and this has to be corrected. FXI did not take the SABC to court, but rather it was a matter between “FXI and ICASA and therefore the judgment is not against the SABC but was against the Regulator.”
I have no doubt that Kaizer Kganyago’s talents are appreciated by Luthuli House but I believe he deserves official recognition.
That said, will we not as media people and as a nation miss SuperMac when he eventually gives up the superhuman task of trying to spin Number 1’s latest folly? He is to Zapiro what P W Botha was to Pieter-Dirk Uys. Zapiro’s depiction of him spinning, turning, whirring, writhing and whirling, pirouettes and somersaults – ending up in extraordinarily convoluted, cross-eyed knots which you would think not even Houdini could escape from – only to triple backflip for another breathtaking and even more outrageous encore, has become as much a part of us as Nando’s and Ouma rusks.
“The essential message from the president was the need to decolonise the African mind, post-liberation,” said presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj.
Not even a Hollywood script writer of the Timothy Leary persuasion could dream up something like that.
Comical Ali would have approved.
IMAGE: Three wise monkeys / Speak no evil, See no evil, Hear no evil/Wikimedia Creative Commons
