Mampara of the week: Herman Mashaba

He is doing relatively well as the new mayor of Johannesburg, but his obsession with blaming all inner-city problems on foreigners is quickly earning him a reputation for being a politician who suffers from foot-in-mouth disease.

This Mampara spoilt what should have been a celebration of his 100 days in office by ranting about immigrants, mostly African, who he accused of being "criminals ... holding our country to ransom".

His callous remarks echo the inflammatory and xenophobic statements of King Goodwill Zwelithini last year.

They put him in the same league as that other Mampara, DA Sea Point councillor Shayne Ramsay, who called homeless people "criminals" and "mentally retarded".