Should Motlanthe’s private life be off limits?

Posted: January 26th, 2009 | By Ray Hartley | Posted in General
  • 7 Comments
  

CLAIMS this weekend by the Sunday Independent that President Kgalema Motlanthe is conducting two affairs, one of them with a 24-year-old who is pregnant with his child have shocked South Africa.
THe question that arises is: Should the private life of a politician be subject to this sort of public scrutiny? The ANC doesn’t think so, stating that it is a “private matter” not worthy of comment.
The argument for privacy is an interesting one. It suggests that public officials be scrutinised only on the performance of their public duties.
This argument is not convincing. Public office is much more than the performance of a set of duties. It is also about providing leadership and providing an example to the nation of the sort of behaviour that is appropriate for this country to heal and move forward.
Multiple partners, relationships with those half your age and the like – should they be proved true – set a very bad example for a country struggling to find some kind of moral center, never mind one fighting Aids.
Motlanthe should come clean about this affairs and offer the nation an explanation.

Related posts:

  1. Zuma praises Mbeki, says Motlanthe would be good president
  2. Parliament elects Kgalema Motlanthe as president
  3. The terrible thing that Mbeki, Zuma and Motlanthe have in common
  4. Motlanthe be warned: Mugabe will drag you down
  5. Kgalema Motlanthe is the right man to unify SA as acting president

 

Comments

 

Eli Jikelele

January 26, 2009 at 1:43 pm

Motlanthe has been given the freedom to spend his huge salary (provided by the SA taxpayers) in a manner that befits someone of his public office.

The fact that he chooses a sleazy lifestyle while holding high office means that he should enjoy all the brickbats and bouquets that come his way.

 

AK-47 Cum Pen

January 26, 2009 at 4:30 pm

Hi Eli Jikelele, this is AK. I am with the young lions here. I am indoctrinating them with ANC principles. I told you I was coming home to canvass.

I am winning these young lions. So my friend you and the DA forget it.

Tata

 

Larry Goodfella

January 26, 2009 at 6:00 pm

These young lions must be real umfaans to listen to a raggety old **** like you.

Tata

 

AK-47 cum Pen

January 26, 2009 at 10:16 pm

Larry please check the blog everyday, there may be a message for ya. I thought you went to Israel to fight there. Good to see you around

 

Eli Jikelele

January 28, 2009 at 1:30 pm

@AK-47:

I hope you are also teaching these co-called young lions to keep their dic.ks in their pants unlike the current leadership of the ANC.

 

Absalom47

January 28, 2009 at 4:21 pm

I partly agree with the view that the media should not be so preoccupied with the private lives of office bearers unless this will in a way benefit the public. Perhaps the media’s fascination with the private lives of politicians is best captured by Abraham Lincoln who wrote about General Taylor:
“The Presidency, even to the most experienced politicians, is no bed of roses; and Gen. Taylor like others, found thorns within it. No human being can fill that station and escape censure”.These words although written decades ago still ring true considering that Motlanthe is the current president and Msholozi harbours presidential ambitions.

 

Zabalaza

January 28, 2009 at 6:12 pm

What is it they put in the coffee machine at Luthuli House?Zuma,Nyanda,Goniwe,Kgalema…

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