Imogen that! Insolence wins
There you have it dear readers.
You have made your unambiguous choice.
And she is one Imogen Mashazi.
You overwhelmingly voted for her as the country’s greatest clown in 2025.
This was for, among other reasons, her lackadaisical, insolent attitude when appearing before the all-important Mandlanga commission of inquiry into police capture and corruption.
The 65-year-old former Ekurhuleni City manager, if not fidgeting on her phone during serious cross-examination, was forgetful, we were led to believe, whenever she bothered to answer questions.
It did not help that a video clip of this retired civil servant resurfaced, showing her boasting about her more than R3m outfit and jewellery.
So, after tallying more than 1,100 of your votes, Mashazi romps home with the Mampara of the Year title — and into deserved ignominy.
Sorry Donald, you only came second
At No 2, is Donald Trump, president of the US.
He spent too much of his time picking a fight with the Union Buildings over outrageous claims he could not back up.
The Orange One repeatedly relied on fake news and untruths about an Afrikaner genocide, aided by some unpatriotic South Africans whose bodies are here but whose hearts are in the US.
This led to the buffoon snubbing the G20 summit here.
Now he is refusing to accredit the South African delegation to the G20 summit he is due to host in Miami in 2026. It is a mark of clowns to stick to false statements and care nothing for the facts.
‘You see’, Julius, you’re a fool
Then there is Julius Mkhwanazi, at No 3.
The water-guzzling, bucket-sweating Ekurhuleni police chief amassed the third-largest number of your votes.
Mr “You see, commissioners” was found wanting on too many fronts during his appearance before the Mandlanga commission.
He expressed fear of “going to jail for something I did not do” over his alleged role in greenlighting blue lights for vehicles belonging to alleged criminal underworld kingpin Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala.
But the buffoon did concede that he received thousands of rand in “petrol money” from Matlala.
Send Senzo packing, ‘immediately’
The suspended minister of police and once respected former minister for the public service, who had also served as KwaZulu-Natal premier, was a shadow of his former self at the Madlanga commission.
Senzo Mchunu was placed on special leave by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2025 following explosive claims that he was implicated in police corruption and the abuse of the criminal justice system.
At the centre of it all was his decision to disband the political killings task team “immediately” in December 2024.
But for Mchunu, it seems, “immediately” has a different meaning to the common understanding.
“It does not say with immediate effect; it says immediately,” the idiot told justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga about a letter he sent to national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola.
President Cyril Ramaphosa should immediately fire this one!
Bheki in Matlala’s pocket — and bed
Then there is the fedora-clad and dancing former police commissioner.
He once doubled as the police minister, making him Mchunu’s predecessor.
Evidence before justice Madlanga suggested that Bheki Cele was in Matlala’s pocket — and, in fact, had even been in his bed.
He admitted to using Matlala’s swanky accommodation in Pretoria East, saying it was because he is “now a pensioner”.
While at it, he accepted bribes to the tune of around R500,000 in Woolies shopping bags, Madlanga heard.
Shame on you, Shamila
Ordinarily, we close this with the top five.
But it would be remiss of us not to mention advocate Shamila Batohi.
The head of the National Prosecuting Authority on Monday displayed spectacular arrogance at the Nkabinde inquiry, simply walking out when she became unhappy with the proceedings.
The inquiry was set up by the president — at her instance.
But she had grown tired of intense grilling by Adv Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, who is representing advocate Andrew Chauke, whose performance Bathohi had complained about.
Not many will mourn the end of her non-renewable contract early in the new year.
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