In the halls of smoke and mirrors that is parliament, ANC MP Tshilidzi Munyai added a new layer of confusion with his garbled statement this week: “And, and, you be the judge precisely because, are they not a smokescreen for the background beyond the wall?” Huh?
He was referring to two first-year computer studies students whose research found, surprise!, that the government’s R370 social relief of distress grants are being accessed by crooks who need only a person’s ID number to claim the government’s rand.
The father of one of the students is a medical doctor who works for the “DA-led government of the Western Cape”, Munyai revealingly observed. He dismissed the students’ findings as “myth and propaganda”, reminding honourable members that “allegations remain allegations until they are proven otherwise”.
Hardly an encouragement to whistle-blowers. The statement was nonetheless met by approval from assorted ANC MPs who blocked the SA Social Security Agency from delivering its prepared presentation. Even if whistle-blowing is to be discouraged, what chance of it at least being blown to call time on Mampara Munyai?
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