Thami Zikode, a senior executive at the SABC, had just stopped his car outside his house when a man appeared out of nowhere and knocked at the driver’s side with his gun.
Two more men appeared on the other side of the car. Zikode instinctively reached for his own gun and shot the man on his side of the car. A shootout ensued, with the other assailants pumping bullets into the car.
But they had seemingly been startled by Zikode’s response. Their aim was bad and Zikode escaped unscathed. The two unhurt attackers fled.
The man who’d been shot was immobilised. Zikode confronted the wounded man about what appeared to him to be an attempted carjacking. The man confessed that they were not after the car; they had been hired by a "certain woman" to kill Zikode.
The man allegedly repeated this to the police. The movie-like drama has shaken not only the media industry but the public in general.
Zikode has led the internal audit department at the SABC for the past 18 months. A former official in the office of the auditor-general, he audited the locomotive tender of the Passenger Rail Agency of SA, the payment of irregular bonuses to SA Revenue Service executives and the integrated financial management system at the National Treasury. He recently concluded a forensic audit into the SABC’s sale of its archives to the now defunct Gupta-owned television channel, ANN7.
It was this story of fear and loathing at the SABC that dominated conversation as Thandiswa and I sat down for dinner at Spiga, a legendary Durban restaurant. Many moons ago when I lived in that city, I used to visit the place almost every week. Back then it was still operating from roomy premises on the esplanade.
Later it moved to Florida Road, in the suburbs. Apparently, the owners opened another branch in the north of the city, which did not do very well. It closed about a year ago.
But the Innes Road branch is really cooking.
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The variety of pasta dishes is great. For starters Thandiswa and I both had bruschetta salmone, salmon with capers and black pepper drizzled with olive oil (R50). Having just returned from Norway where I binged on salmon, I found the helpings rather small (oh, greedy you!) but the care that went into the preparation of the food made up for this.
For mains I had parma ham, which comes with fresh mozzarella and chopped rocket, and penne (R100). It was exquisite.
Thandiswa settled for carpaccio manzo with spaghetti (R100). She ate everything and even threatened to lick the plate. Clearly a satisfied diner.
I am not a cocktail person. But at Thandiswa’s urging I tried a strawberry daiquiri.
I ended up having three. Not because they are particularly special — not being a cocktail expert, I have nothing to compare them against. But I found them delicious, almost addictive.
The menu is so extensive that I think I will be visiting Spiga again soon when I am really hungry and have time on my hands so I can sample more of the offerings.
It is definitely worth a visit. And thank goodness it has reopened after being closed for about a year.
Spiga *****
465 Innes Road, Windermere, Durban
Tel: 031-303-9511
Thami Zikode *****
Mmusi Maimane ****
Collen Maine ***
Proteas **
Ace Magashule *
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