Show me a state-owned enterprise, and I’ll show you a business being run into the ground.

SAA, Eskom, Denel (the latter was unable to pay its staff this past month) – the list goes on.

As for the ANC, they’ve shown in the past that they’re not really all that fond of paying their bills, either. In June, the City of Joburg was forced to take action against unpaid legal bills, threatening to seize Luthuli House, the party’s headquarters.

Fast forward to this week, and more unpaid bills drama. Go on then – pop past https://www.anc.org.za/.

I’ll save you a click and show you the landing page:

That’s right, the country’s governing party ain’t paying its bills. Are we even surprised?

This from a News24 report over the weekend:

The ANC’s website remains inaccessible amid allegations that it was shut down over an outstanding bill of R32m with its service provider.

…attorneys for Unwembi Communications had instructed that services be withheld until the outstanding amount was paid.

However, the paper said that [ANC spokesperson Pule] Mabe had disputed the allegations, saying that the ANC did not have any contract with Unwembi.

According to the report, Mabe said the only reason why the website was down was because it was being revamped and that a new service provider was in place.

“I don’t know what hogwash that is, we don’t owe anyone R32m,” Mabe was quoted as saying.

The Citizen reported on Thursday that Unwembi Communications registered its domain in July 1997, and that it owns the party’s .org domain.

Don’t these political spokespeople ever get tired of lying, day in and day out, only to be exposed time and time again?

The whole fiasco is laughable, but perhaps the joke is really on us. An opinion piece by Mpumelelo Mkhabela with more:

The risk of a governing party with such influence falling into financial trouble is as massive as the vast power it wields across state organs. The risk is that the governing party can be blackmailed by corrupt elements. Financial troubles make it vulnerable to questionable people who might seek business licenses or tenders from state institutions with the promise to donate part of their fortunes to the party.

When that happens, the negative effect is felt by all, including members of the opposition. Lest we forget, the Guptas donated millions of rands to the ANC while Zweli Mkhize [below] was the party’s treasurer-general. We know it was recycled money siphoned from the state as proceeds of state capture.

…Whether we like it or not and whether we support the ANC or not, its financial health – or lack thereof – has a bearing on the state of governance because it is a governing party.

I hear you, but I’m going to enjoy my chuckle nonetheless. We know Helen did:

[sources:news24&news24]