By Benny Mojela
“To the brotherhood” chant the members of the Khongolose Khommanding Khommissars, as they put their right hands on their hearts as to solemnly swear commitment to their comrades. Khongolose Khommanding Khommissars is a superb production written by Jefferson Tshabalala and presented by 2023 Standard Bank Young Artists for Theatre, Billy Langa and Mahlatsi Mokgonya, aka the Theatre Duo.
The play takes us behind the curtains of South African politics. It illustrates how politicians, businessmen, and law enforcement work together to steal tender funds in order to live as fat cats. It uses melodic spoken word which clearly satirises comrade speak – the verbose and repetitious language used by politicians.
I never thought I would sympathise with a corrupt politician, because we have come to perceive them as monsters who are thirsty for their own evil gains. However, watching Khongolose Khommanding Khommissars I began to remember that politicians are people too. They have the same hopes and fears as all of us. They look forward to having children and seeing them get a good education. They are afraid of getting arrested and losing their lives. All of this left me in shock and a with a strange empathy for those who are corrupted through the manipulation of their fears and hopes.
The work doesn’t shy away from extending corruption to everyday civil issues like paying bribes as an easy way out of traffic fines. This dramatic manouvre is employed to force the audience to do self-introspection.
The politically corrupt value loyalty from those who join them and they hate betrayal with every fibre of their being. Khongolose Khommanding Khommissars explores the theme of betrayal in the life of tenderpreneurs with the unpardonable sin being, “eating and eating on behalf others.” This is when corrupt politicians are given less kickbacks than they expected from a tender – “there’s no honor among thieves”. The play is a warning to anyone tempted to join the corrupt politicians and eat from the gravy train. These people are not bound by any principles and when they are caught up in a difficult situation, they will resort to the dirtiest of tactics.
Khongolose Khommanding Khommissars explores a three-part tactic used by corrupt commissars and delves into bribery, blackmail, and political bullying. I was personally touched by the struggles an ordinary person must go through to resist these temptations. I realised that very few people can overcome these weaknesses of human nature. It drew out the realisation that if we are to build a nation free of corruption, we need to invest in the development of the nation’s character. Overall, Khongolose Khommanding Khommissars uses physical poetry, humour, and movement to expose the dealings of South African top officials. It wowed fans on its sold-out opening night with a resounding standing ovation.
