Hogarth+on+social+ties,+061217+Sunday+Times

Sunday Times, Johannesburg, Hogarth column, 17 December 2006
=Party politics=

A MAJOR shindig was to be held for a departing SABC big shot, a well-known man who has been a key cog in the broadcaster’s operations for some time.

The departing executive requested that he be allowed to add some of his own guests to the list. No problem, the bosses said, it was his party after all.

Until, that is, the pesky high-ups got a peek at the guest list and saw that it contained names of unloved past and present employees, as well as others considered non grata by the SABC heavies. The fuming bosses cancelled the party at the 11th hour with many guests receiving notice via SMS.

And the food, booze and party trinkets? Well, the bosses merely “repurposed” the function. New guests were quickly invited and a great time was had by all.

=Organ investigates=

THE SACP’s official organ, Umsebenzi, has turned its attention from the arcana of dialectical materialism to muckraking investigative journalism.

Here’s a paragraph or two on BEE and the Gautrain from the latest edition: “In September 2005, as the Gautrain best and final offer (BAFO) tendering process was approaching finality, Mzi Khumalo and Bulelani Ngcuka were offered 51% of Basil Read shares at 82 cents a share.

“Who did they buy these shares from? From Bouygues! Yes, the same Bouygues of France, a leading player in the Bombela consortium that just two months before in July 2005 had been declared the preferred bidder for the Gautrain.

“By May of this year, within 8 months, Basil Read shares had risen to above R5.”

Update: The share is now trading at around R12.50. If the commies have their numbers right, that’s a 1500% return on investment for da man.

=Family ties=

THE SACP omitted to mention that the wife of Bulelani Ngcuka is none other than Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo- Ngcuka, who heads the government’s R410-billion infrastructure spending programme, Asgisa.

Now, now ... there’s not even the faintest whiff of impropriety!


 * From: http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/article.aspx?ID=343987**

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