Warts and all

Just do your job, quietly  [View this email in your browser]( May 18, 2021 [Mail & Guardian]( [Mail & Guardian]( [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( Hi there, Having cultivated a rich disgust for his colleagues and court life, where rampant vanity was found and encouraged, Oliver Cromwell is said to have inadvertently coined the phrase “warts and all”. In 1653, at the time Cromwell became Lord Protector of England, it was common for portraits to flatter the subject by softening or removing any blemishes. A bit like manual photoshop. For Cromwell, there was no better way to distance himself from the vanity and self-indulgence of the monarchy than by having his portrait be as accurate as possible, without concealing his flaws. When Peter Lely, portrait painter to the executed King Charles I, was brought before Cromwell, he was supposedly instructed: “I desire you would use all your skill to paint your picture truly like me … but remark all these roughness, pimples, warts and everything as you see me. Otherwise, I will never pay a farthing for it.” Although this story’s veracity may be debated, it has survived; when we want the full, unblemished story, we still declare our desire to have it “warts and all”. Prior to the 14th century, the word vanity did not have such narcissistic undertones, and merely meant futility, or dedicated uselessness. “I am well and working hard for the country,”[a statement issued by the department of public enterprises reads](. This was in response to what the department calls “reckless and insensitive tweets and reports meant to distract and cause unnecessary confusion in the market about Minister Pravin Gordhan’s health”. With all due respect, who cares? “This is clearly mischief created by the corrupt and desperate elements in South Africa who wish to go on stealing, neglect the poor and abuse public resources,” the statement continues. The only mischief we can see here is how that statement is a distraction from the fact that we are enduring rolling blackouts again. Alleged power supplier Eskom has suspended load-shedding during the daytime hours today, but will resume load-shedding between 5pm and 10pm tonight, with the likelihood of ongoing blackouts during the evening peak period (5pm to 10pm) throughout the winter months. In an ill-timed fit of pique, Gordhan’s statement landed on Twitter on May 16 at 3.22pm. At 4.55pm Eskom, also on Twitter, decided to announce a return to load-shedding. While the minister is as fit as a fiddle, departments under his watch are at death’s door. Gordhan’s health is a market sensitive issue, the statement says. Where? This notion that Gordhan’s presence is the only thing protecting South Africa from malfeasance is shocking and unnecessary. This is also not the first time Gordhan has cried fake news. Notably in a December session of the Zondo commission, [he responded to advocate Dali Mpofu’s probing]( about being jealous of Tom Moyane with a perfectly-timed “I’m the victim here” riposte. “Let me emphatically say that all of those assertions have no foundation whatsoever,” he said. “To throw around notions such as racism and my alleged involvement in corruption is part of the fake news narrative.” Fast forward to his next appearance in March and the “fake news industry” was once firing on all engines. [He claimed that all dossiers against him]( were revenge for his fearless crusades against corruption. South African politicians are used to the idea of speaking in hyperbole and self-mythologising as the hero fending off multiple enemies at the gate. The public needs blow-by-blow accounts of bad guys and good guys. While all these fables are playing out there is no one to get on with the tedious work of getting the job done. Just get on with it. We are neck deep in multiple crises. [Denel]( wings are clipped. [SAA]( is a money pit. [Transnet]( is, well, Transnet. Now’s not the time. Until tomorrow, Kiri Rupiah & Luke Feltham [Subscribe now]( Enjoy The Ampersand? Share it with your friends [Share]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Forward]( [Share]( [Share]( Copyright © 2021 Mail & Guardian Media LTD, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in to receive communications from the Mail & Guardian either at our website or by taking out a print subscription. Our mailing address is: Mail & Guardian Media LTD 25 Owl St BraamfonteinJohannesburg, Gauteng 2001 South Africa [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences or unsubscribe here.]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Mail & Guardian Media LTD · 25 Owl St · Braamfontein · Johannesburg, Gauteng 2001 · South Africa