Hogarth is somewhat sad to see one of his favourite politicians go. John Vul’igate, otherwise known as John Steenhuisen, has officially stepped down as dancer-in-chief of the blue wave. Believe it or not, Bra John had better dance moves than those of the preacher-politician he succeeded, whose name Hogarth now forgets.
Newsroom talk here is that John had a thin skin as DA leader and complained more than most politicians when he made it on this page as Mampara of the Week. But Hogarth isn’t convinced. The man was always a good sport, taking all the banter about his matric certificate on the chin and readily accepting the nickname John Vul’igate, even though it was from a pop song that had a shorter life on the charts than Floyd Shivambu had as Jacob Zuma’s chief imbongi in the MK Party.
Here’s hoping the time he now has on his hands will help him finally get his university degree.
At least Helen didn’t pull a Putin
Also gone from the DA leadership is Helen Zille — although Hogarth suspects she will keep a watchful eye on her replacement from her Braamfontein office, where she may soon be running a coalition government as mayor of Johannesburg.
For years Hogarth suspected GodZille of wanting to pull a Vladimir Putin on the DA. For those who don’t follow their history closely, Donald Trump’s best Russian friend was president for years until he was forced to step down due to a constitutional limit of two consecutive terms. Using the “consecutive” loophole, he ran the country as prime minister for a term, then sprang back into the presidency and now seems destined to run Russia for eternity.
It is a relief that after serving as federal chair Zille has not been tempted to bounce back as party leader again. May it stay that way, no matter how well she does in the Johannesburg mayoral elections.
... or a Gayton or a Herman
In one of her last interviews as federal chair, GodZille could not help but take a swipe at two political parties that have threatened the DA’s growth potential over the past few years — ActionSA and the Patriotic Alliance.
“In most other parties, they don’t even have an elective congress. They have got leaders for life like Herman Mashaba and Gayton McKenzie,” she said.
Ouch!
Twerking twerps dishonour Hani
While GodZille is swimming in potholes and drinking non-alcoholic beer cheering for a Soweto soccer team that is not about to win the Premier Soccer League — all in the name of attracting the black middle class votes she needs to win Johannesburg outright — her competitors in the ANC are busy squabbling over who is more qualified to sing and dance beside struggle hero Chris Hani’s grave.
ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji and his entourage made absolute fools of themselves when, in defiance of the Hani family’s wishes, they staged an off-key toyi-toyi around Hani’s grave while claiming that “Chris Hani belongs to no one.”
Hogarth understands that Malatji’s job at the youth league is to position himself as an attack dog against anyone — such as the SACP’s Solly Mapaila — who is seen as ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s opponent. But must he do this twerking even in front of a revered hero’s grave?
No joy for Mama Joy
Gayton McKenzie’s Trumpian politics and ideology may not be everybody’s cup of tea. Still, it is refreshing to have a politician who speaks his mind and doesn’t hide behind the kind of political jargon that often leaves the public unsure where he stands on a subject.
When former Orlando Pirates fan Mama Joy, who is married to a Frenchman, tried to guilt-trip McKenzie’s department of sport into buying her tickets to the Fifa World Cup in the US later in 2026, the minister publicly responded on social media:
“We got you a husband my sister, let him pay for the love of his life, the Euro is very strong, Frenchmen are known to be romantic, let him pay Sista Joy.”
Since that response, a joyless Mama Joy has spent much of her time on social media trolling her former club, Pirates, for failing to close the league gap between them and rivals Mamelodi Sundowns. If she thinks by doing so, Pirates boss Irvin Khoza would be pressured into help her, she does not know the Iron Duke.
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