Ramaphosa cuts cabinet freebies and winds his neck in — again

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Head of state Cyril Ramaphosa has, we are told (but not, of course, by him) backtracked on free lights and water for his cabinet mates, which he had slipped into the ministerial handbook from April.

Like his British counterpart Liz Truss, Ramaphosa has been forced to do an about turn and is winding his neck in  —  again  —  and trying to stay afloat until Christmas. Both were, after all, wanting to line their pals’ pockets at the expense of the taxpayer. 

Our commander-in-chief did the right thing,  but only once cornered,  and has taken a step back from a R87-million run at the public purse he and his “advisers” had dreamed up while the rest of us were trying to pay our bills  —  and theirs.

The president will not lift the R5 000 cap on free municipal services for cabinet members  —  a lovely, tasty sweetener he had surreptitiously slid in before the ANC’s national conference, at which he wants to be elected for a second term.

Nice one, Cyril.

According to Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, the president had decided to withdraw the presidential minute amending the executive member’s guide  —  which also included access to up to 15 aides per minister  —  and review it because of “public sentiment.”

Until then, the comrades in cabinet will have to settle for R5 000 a month towards their lights and water bill.

Magwenya said the president had not tried to amend the handbook secretly. He seems to have just not told us about it, or forgot to tell somebody to tell us or something along those lines.

Weak, but at least Cyril wasn’t shocked and surprised by his own actions  —  and hasn’t appointed a commission of inquiry to investigate whether he should investigate himself.

There’s still time.

Perhaps this is unfair criticism and Cyril did just forget to tell us he was giving himself and his pals an early Christmas present.

Ramaphosa has been busy of late  —  what with the Phala Phala drama and the small matter of trying to run the country while plotting a second term as ANC president  —  so perhaps he did forget to tell anybody to tell us about the amendment.

We know our man’s memory isn’t the best  —  Ramaphosa forgot a whole pile of dollars under his mattress and jetted off to Addis, after all  —  and his focus is solely on getting over the line in December, so perhaps it was just an innocent act of omission.

Perhaps.

I wonder if Cyril decided to amend the handbook by himself or whether his dream team came up with this latest political and public relations nightmare.

Was this a solo lightbulb moment, a decision taken alone, during a quiet moment while riding the range, herding the Ankoles, or while pounding the presidential porcelain?

Or was this a team effort, the handiwork of Ramaphosa’s kitchen cabinet  —  the presidential brains trust living up to its name?   

Either way, the ministerial handbook appears  —  like Truss’s economic policy and the opposition coalition agreements in Gauteng’s metros  —  to be written in pencil.

Crayons, actually, like they use in nursery school.