Missive madness

[Rawson]( [Mail & Guardian Newsletter logo](#) [mg.co.za]( [The Ampersand Daily Newsletter from the M&G team](#) [Divider Strip] August 25 2020 | [View in browser]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( Hi there, While Twitter was reeling from Finance Minister Tito Mboweni's [latest Salmonella Special]( another drama was taking place in Zambia when President Edgar Lungu decided to give the pink slip to his central bank governor Denny Kalyalya, less than a week after he warned of the country's growing economic difficulties. In a statement on August 22, Lungu announced [Kalyalya's dismissal]( and appointed the deputy secretary to the cabinet's finance and economic development department, Christopher Mvunga, to the post with immediate effect. Ever the QWERTY gangster, Mboweni took to Twitter to voice his displeasure with the move, stating: "Presidents in Africa must stop this nonsense of waking up in the morning and fire a Central Bank Governor! You cannot do that. This is not some fiefdoms of yours! Your personal property?! No!!" President Cyril Ramaphosa "[strongly reprimanded]( Mboweni for his tweets, which included these ominous words: "The President of Zambia must give us the reasons why he dismissed The Governor or else hell is on his way. I will mobilize!" The ANC has also lambasted another former Fin Min, Trevor Manuel, for apparently referring to the party's leadership of the country as "[almost 30 wasted years](. ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe said Manuel's remarks gave the impression that poverty, unemployment and inequality in the country started only in 1994. This was incorrect, said Mabe, because the ANC inherited all those problems from the apartheid regime. Look, we can understand the governing party's ease with dealing with tweets. The immediate nature of the platform makes it easy to reprimand members. Also, who has not fallen victim to scrolling their life away in avoidance of deadines? However, after months of malfeasance within the party coming to the fore, surely there are more pressing issues at hand? The ANC finds itself in another predicament, with [complaints about its alleged selective morality]( regarding some leaders, particularly in the Eastern Cape, who remain in positions of power even though there are allegations of improper conduct against them. In the latest complaint, businessperson and party member Lonwabo Bam has asked why the national executive committee has not instructed Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane to step aside. Bam's letter to the party's highest decision-making body (outside national conferences) questions why Mabuyane has not stepped aside while the public protector is investigating serious allegations against him and two others. In an open letter dated August 23, which was sent to all ANC members, Ramaphosa castigated his colleagues about the controversy surrounding the awarding of contracts to help the country deal with the Covid-19 contagion. Have there been any arrests? No. Thoroughly annoyed by the back-and-forth, we've decided to follow the money, as it were. Our [Covid-19 Tender Tracker]( is monitoring payments awarded for PPE, and we need your help to maintain it. Our [coronavirus hub]( offers a wealth of reliable information, for free. To help us keep you informed of letters and let-downs, please [consider taking out a subscription](. Every little bit helps. Until tomorrow, Kiri Rupiah & Luke Feltham [Divider Strip] [EU]( [Divider Strip] [Behavioural]( [Divider Strip] [Facebook icon]( [Twitter icon]( [Instagram icon]( [LinkedIn icon]( You are receiving this email on {EMAIL} because 1.) You're a member of "Mail & Guardian" or 2.) previously subscribed [M&G logo] 25 Owl St, Braamfontein Werf, Johannesburg, 2092 Want to be removed? No problem! [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Email support: help@media-connect.co.za - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -