Cars and girls? no just cars

One would think that our ministers and cabinet leaders were all due to appear on Top Gear what with their love of cars.
I am in shock over the lack of accountability in this country. Yes we can all argue that all coutries have corrupt politicians, but the difference between those countries and South Africa is that in other countries ministers who are found to be corrupt are weeded out and are held accountable and made examples of.
Not our ministers, however. Oh no. They are celebrated as cadres, or freedom fighters, ANC stalwarts. More importantly, by not having any action taken against them, it leaves them believing that they are untouchable and that is a most dangerous psyche. We all endured the "Blue Light" syndrome over the past few years, with some innocent South African citizens paying with their lives for this act of pure arrogance.

Cars, cars, cars...

KwaZulu-Natal economic development and tourism MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu, according to a Durban newspaper, received an average of R100 000 a month for using his private car for government work.
The paper reported that Mabuyakhulu submitted a bill of R383 618.07 in four months from May to August this year for using his Range Rover.
Mabuyakhulu seems to be part of a list of untouchables which has grown at a ridiculous rate. Here are a few others who come to mind.
Education ministers. This perhaps reveals why our education system is so rotten.
Angie Motshekga - head of basic education. In 2004, the then Gauteng education minister, was fingered for benefiting financially from the trust that she helped to land a stake in the lucrative provincial pension payout contract. There was also proof that the trust did not benefit only from the pension deal, but that it also applied for direct government funding when Motshekga was minister of the Gauteng department of social development and received R750 000 as she vacated that portfolio.
Blade Nzimande - higher education. We all know about his R1.1m luxury vehicle, but he added that he was still a communist and committed to the working class. He said that as an education minister he needed a bigger boot to put his papers in when he took them home to mark them.
Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele earlier this year accepted an R1.1m Mercedes Benz S500 from a group of contractors with contracts worth more than R400m in the department.
Perhaps he deserves it after all; he is doing a great job. Well, no, actually BRT is a joke with some of it only being completed after the WC2010. Have you seen the state of our roads and public transport system? A clapped out 1974 yellow Toyota bakkie would be more fitting for our comrade!
On the topic of cars, it recently emerged that Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi was in the process of buying two Mercedes-Benzes for R1.2m.

Accountability
OK so we have established that our ministers like to drive nice cars. Let's get back to accountability.
Mr Cheune, out ASA chief is the most recent and blinding case of a lack of accountability. I don't want to dwell on this as it has been debated to death, and it finally looks as though he may still have to go following the sponsorship debacle, I wouldn't bet on it. I read somewhere that he drives a Range Rover just in case you were wondering.
Also in the running are Transnet Freight Rail CEO Siyabonga Gama, Eskom CEO Jacob Maroga who recently received a 26.7% salary increase, and SABC's former chief exec Dali Mpofu who received a R11.6m golden handshake. For what? Well you would have to be a fly on the wall in a board meeting to know, but then if I were a fly on the wall, I would far rather be in attendance at the recent Athletics board meeting.
We also have the ongoing corruption trial of Jackie Selebi, who has finally been brought to book, although we may yet see him feature somewhere down the line. Think Mo, or is it Shabir Shaik?
The list goes on, so feel free to add to it below.