This is what it’s come to now.

We have covered the saga of Sibongile Mani, the student with a penchant for blowing through cash, but we need to take a look at yesterday’s circus.

Mani is now a full-blown celeb on campus, so much so that she had to be whisked away from campus by police.

It wasn’t all pleasantries and adoration, though, because some students were absolutely fuming.

Many demanded she pay back the money, and others thrust cameras in her face and took this piss, “saying she should flash her R14m smile”.

Vusi Mahlangu, a member of the Pan Africanist Student ­Movement of Azania (Pasma), said that the political organisation had arranged a press conference to stick up for Mani.

Yes, she is a branch secretary of Pasma. Get a load of this whopper via News24:

Despite the fact that Mani had attended the news conference, she stood behind members of Pasma who had fielded the questions…

At the news conference, Mahlangu made it clear that rumours which have been circulating that Mani spent about R800 000 were not true.

According to him, the money that she’d spent was on food and books.

…”she, like any other student with money on her meal card, went to eat. And like those with a credit on their book card, she’d buy books.

“The money was for meals and meals only,” he emphasised.

R818 000 is a whole lot of books and food, pal.

Some scenes via IOL:

This video, via Facebook, is a real eye opener:

Imagine chasing her with a camera to pop a video on your Instagram? Dafuq?

Finally, someone left this comment yesterday:

Jesus guys leave this girl alone. She’s in her 20’s and f-ed up. We have politicians stealing billions from the poor and we are literally crucifying a girl for going on a spending spree of 818k. Yes it is kuk behaviour but for the media to be literally flaying this girl is pointless.

If you have video of “the media” literally flaying [flaying: whip or beat (someone) so harshly as to remove their skin] do let us know.

Sorry, but I have no sympathy for someone who spunks all that money, spread across 73 days, and then plays victim when they’re caught out.

[sources:iol&news24]