Nelson Mandela was infamous for his Madiba shirts. Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe were strictly suit-men. Cyril Ramaphosa has been known to go crazy with a golf shirt for his morning walks, but that’s about as interesting as his wardrobe gets. 

Enter Jacob Zuma, who had Twitter in stitches this week over the shirt he just can’t stop wearing. From meeting with Julius Malema (for THAT tea party), to his chat with police minister Bheki Cele last week and more, the former president appears to recycle the same black-and-gold number for every meeting. It gives a whole new meeting to the term “airing one’s dirty laundry in public”. The shirt(s) was on display in a series of photographs posted by his daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, who, as we report this week, has become her father’s spin doctor, spreading all kinds of conspiracy theories about why Zuma is in trouble with the law. 

Speaking of Zuma, the ANC’s top six officials are next in line to meet  give him special treatment this week and convince him to, you know, not break the law, and attend the State Capture Commission of Inquiry. That meeting hasn’t happened yet. But you can be sure that when it does, the Zuma shirt will be in attendance.

This article appeared as part of The Wrap, 25 February 2021. Sign up to receive our weekly updates.