VIEW OF THE WEEK: Part-time pawn Gwamanda isn’t the victim, Joburg residents are

Former president and global icon Nelson Mandela is quoted as saying: “My respect for human beings is based not on the colour of a man’s skin nor authority he may wield, but purely on merit.”

In the case of former Joburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, it is clear that authority was abused and the colour of his skin used as an excuse.

But his merit went missing with the golf balls he would often hit.

An alleged scam artist who sold funeral policies to Soweto residents, Gwamanda was once assumed to be dead when it was discovered he had allegedly run away with his victim’s money, only to pop up as mayor.

‘Black man you are on your own’

He was arrested after handing himself over to police last Friday. His first defence after the news broke was to claim his crime was being a black man.

“In South Africa, growing up black, it [being arrested] is a possibility that none of us can avoid, regardless of the path you choose,” he said.

Inevitable for a black man to be in trouble with the law? It was a strange, old-fashioned, and lazy excuse that only served to gaslight the nation.

If he is looking for a victim he shouldn’t look in the mirror, but at the faces of Joburg residents he once led.

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Gauteng in crisis

A recent quality of life survey compiled by the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) found the province is desperate and in decay.

8% of residents asked had no access to piped water and 40% of those who did said it was not clean. 63% complained about the state of roads and 71% about public spaces. 62% were unhappy with access to basic services and 81% were either dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with government.

76% believe government officials did not put people first, and 75% say the country is going in the wrong direction.

Beyond surveys, a drive through Johannesburg shows how far Africa’s richest city has fallen.

Reading from the same page on gaslighting as Gwamanda, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi suggested crime and budgets had prevented government from doing more.

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He also hinted that Gauteng residents should be grateful because it would have been worse had the provincial government not “taken a bullet” and absorbed the cost of the failed e-tolls project.

Like Gwamanda, Lesufi would not admit that the failure is while he is at the wheel, and blame should be put on him.

What does ‘special leave’ really mean?

But Gwamanda still has a say over the lives of Joburg residents as head of community development on Dada Morero’s mayoral committee.

Morero placed Gwamanda on “special leave” this week, and called a replacement MMC “in the meantime”. This is likely to end with “and Gwamanda was never seen or heard of again in the office corridors”.

It would have cost little politically to remove an implicated official, with the only possible fallout being with the tiny Al Jama-ah party.

Perhaps Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi anticipates a tight battle with the DA and national ANC leadership to maintain his grasp on Gauteng, and believes even the handful of seats and influence Al Jama-ah holds will help.

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A discarded but still useful puppet

It is clear for all his failings, Gwamanda still remains a useful puppet.

He is part of the crucial government of national unity (GNU) clearing house, chaired by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, which meets to resolve deadlocks in policy between coalition partners.

It is not clear what he contributes to the house, besides making up a number to represent his party, but we hope he isn’t trying to sell any of the other members a funeral policy.

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