Thabo Kawaba apologises and raises more social questions
THABO KAWANA WRITE’S
MY WIFE’S CHRISTMAS GIFT
On Saturday Christmas Eve, I took my Wife and children to Southern Cross Motors at East Park Mall. There, I suprised my Wife with a vehicle from their show room that I got for her.
We shared the joy and pictures with our close friends and relatives and called on our family elders to come and bless the vehicle.
Before 19hrs, some of the pictures we took started doing rounds on social media and stories began. It became clear to me then that anyone from among our friends or relatives may have shared the photos with any of their friends who in turn posted them onto social media.
Yesterday was Christmas day, so I kept my phone away and dedicated my time to church in the morning and family in the afternoon.
When I turned my phone back on, I found alot of messages both in WhatsApp groups I am in and on Facebook.
I took time to reflect on the entire situation and realized that the public was outraged. Two issues stood out, one was the question asking why did we flaunt the pictures to the public and the second one was how could I as a civil servant afford the vehicle?
Neither I nor any member of my household posted any pictures on social media.The photos were circulated from the ones we shared with our close family and friends who must have shared with their friends who in turn took them to social media.
As a public worker, I am entitled to a vehicle financing scheme (loan) under the Public Service Micro Finance Company (PSMFC). All public workers are eligible under this scheme to aquire different assets that include but not limited to, farming equipment, building materials and duty free motor vehicles. These vehicles are available from different dealers who partner with PSMFC and one can choose which vehicle one qualifies for from which dealer after assessment of one’s payslip.
When you buy this vehicle under this arrangement, you have it on red book and not white book for the next five years until you finish paying for it with agreed monthly deductions. So to answer the public’s concern on how I could afford the said vehicle, IT’S A CAR LOAN.
Allow me to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize, firstly to the members of the public for the distress and trauma this episode has caused when people were supposed to be enjoying with their families but instead, were made to recall the distasteful recent past were leaders flaunted ill gotten wealth to a struggling majority.
Secondly, allow me to apologize to our Republican President who has led an exemplary life espousing the importance of service to the people before self.
Thirdly, further allow me to apologize to the Upnd and it’s Alliance Partners for setting out a very bad perception that the publication of the said pictures have caused and misrepresented the values and norms that the Upnd and it’s Alliance Partners stand for.
My sincere apologies once more.
Kind regards to all and a Happy New Year as we enter 2023.
Thabo Kawana.
