Hogarth is relieved the papal conclave didn’t take too long to elect a new supreme pontiff, what with the Orange One putting up AI-generated images of himself dressed as the pope on social media, just days after he had jokingly told reporters, “I’d like to be pope, that would be my number one choice”.
Though Trump sounded genuinely happy about the election of US-born cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV — describing it as a “great honour” — some of his supporters expressed disapproval. The BBC reported on a number of Make America Great Again campaigners who were not happy the new pope does not embrace their “America First” doctrine.
Well, the pope is supposed to be the spiritual leader of all Catholics around the world, not a religious envoy for the US.
Beware of fugitive prophets
South African political parties were lining up soon after his election to offer their congratulations to Pope Leo XIV. But Hogarth must have missed the statement from the MK Party. Or could it be they wouldn’t join the others in welcoming the new pontiff because their secretary-general, Floyd Shivambu, wasn’t impressed that the job hadn’t gone to his favourite prophet, the fugitive Shepherd Bushiri?
An unfortunate lack of support
Academics here and abroad are spending sleepless nights analysing how the party of Nelson Mandela has seen its support evaporate so fast it now has to rely on deals with smaller parties to pass a budget. They need search no further, for it seems the ANC's Gauteng leader and premier Panyaza Lesufi has the explanation. “Comrades, we must accept something, that we are an unfortunate political party,” he told a recent ANC meeting.
“Those that are unemployed, they claim that they will not vote for the ANC because they are unemployed. But those who are employed will claim that they will not vote for us because the roads are not tarred. Where the roads are tarred, they will claim they will not vote for us because there is no community hall. And where there is a community hall, they will claim they will not vote for us because there is no new school. Where there is a new school, they will claim they will not vote for us because there is no clinic ...”
Whatever happened to the struggle saying that the masses are always right, Comrade Panyaza?
Not doing a power of good
Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya probably means well, and Hogarth understands the city’s no-nonsense approach towards those customers who are not keeping up with their electricity and water bills. But did her Tshwane Ya Tima campaign really need to switch off power to Weskoppies Hospital because the provincial health department hasn’t paid the mental institution’s R1m bill?
To further rub salt into the wound, the mayor went and bragged about it on social media. Hogarth had thought our politicians — especially those from smaller parties — would have learnt something from the insensitivity that led to the Life Esidimeni tragedy. But, as Moya shows in this case, disregard for the poor and vulnerable is not the exclusive preserve of ANC politicians.
Round and round they go
Moya’s troubled counterpart in Johannesburg, Dada Morero, was in the news this week as he delivered his state of the city address. With the city under the spotlight after numerous complaints from residents about its cleanliness and infrastructure maintenance, Hogarth listened attentively for new ideas. One big takeout was a disappointing proposal to have MMCs and top city officials regularly rotated to new departments — presumably to prevent corruption and complacency. The idea was roundly rejected, including by Morero’s coalition partners.
Maybe it’s time the mayor is rotated out of the city.
Who you gonna call?
Morero did announce one plan that he said would improve service delivery in the city: an intervention team to get involved in any project delayed due to weaknesses. He dubbed it the “bomb squad”, linking it to the on-the-field tactics of the Springboks that have made them rugby world-beaters.
But with potholes all over the place, sewage running down many streets, and communities lacking water and electricity, Hogarth fears it will take no time before frustrated residents call it the “flop squad”.
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