When I was little but old enough to dish out my own food at family lunch, I recall my dad often casting a stern eye in my direction as I piled over-generous helpings on to my plate.
“Boy, your eyes are bigger than your stomach,” he would warn.
It’s the kind of advice he would like to have shared with Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who is suffering a severe attack of political indigestion right now.
In a week she would probably want to forget, Mkhwebane clearly bit off more than she could chew and has had to eat some humble pie.
The Public Protector was forced to backtrack on her decision to order Parliament to amend the constitution to change the mandate of the Reserve Bank. Picture: Reuters
After a few Rennies to ease the heartburn, Mkhwebane would do well to sit back and take stock of what brought on this uncomfortable condition.
Well, for a start, whatever possessed Mkhwebane to instruct Parliament to amend South Africa’s constitution so that the mandate of the SA Reserve Bank could be changed?
To make matters worse, when it became apparent she had overreached herself and that her rulings were incorrect and unconstitutional, she remained obstinate - even arrogant.
Now that she has been forced to back down, the excuses are coming through thick and fast.
One is that she changed her decision after taking legal advice on the matter. Another excuse being proffered by her spokesperson is that the whole imbroglio is the result of a simple typographical error.
Now, in an astonishing turnaround, she shocked the pundits by calling for an urgent inquiry into state capture and made it clear President Jacob Zuma should not have a say in which judge will handle the case. Just when many were beginning to suspect she had been captured by the Zuptas, she does this amazing 180 volte-face, which has everyone puzzled.
Well, one possible explanation for the latest flip-flop is that this is a calculated move by Mkhwebane to save her own skin.
Speculation is rife that with the ANC leadership elections looming and Cyril Ramaphosa looking likely to take over the reins, she could face the sack. So it would be prudent to dump Zuma now and save her attractive salary package, fancy car and many other benefits.
A case of protecting your own purse before you protect the public?