At the time, just days before the ANC's national elective conference, no one listened, including the organisation's alliance partners, the SA Communist Party and union federation Cosatu.

Lekota's appeal for restraint was dismissed as nothing but a lot of hot air. He was accused of being a publicity-seeking pop idol doing his best to campaign for President Thabo Mbeki.

But now, four years later, the ANC is finding it difficult to stop some sections of its membership insulting its leaders, including President Jacob Zuma.

Suspended ANC Youth League president Julius Malema joined his supporters in singing anti-Zuma songs at the ANC's Limpopo provincial elective conference and no one stopped them.

The ridicule and disrespect to which Zuma was subjected at the weekend is a clear sign that the horse has bolted and that the ANC will now find it difficult to stop insults against its leaders.

Yesterday, the SACP in KwaZulu-Natal called on South Africans to join forces to defend Zuma against what it said was a sustained attack on the office of the Presidency.

The SACP's KwaZulu-Natal secretary, Themba Mthembu, called on people to unite to protect Zuma's image.

"If we are patriotic citizens, we need to join forces and protect the president. We cannot sit on the sidelines and watch people ridicule [him].

"We are duty-bound to protect him and we will engage the ANC on this matter," he said.

But this call by the SACP to rally to the support of Zuma's dignity is sheer hypocrisy. Why call on South Africans to protect Zuma's image when, back in 2007, nothing was done to stop the unbecoming behaviour that was visited on Mbeki?

What's good for the goose must be good for the gander.