This follows Mashazi trending earlier this month after a video of her showing off her luxurious outfit circulated on social media.
Helen Zille has criticised what she called a “grotesque display” by former Ekurhuleni city manager Imogen Mashazi.
Mashazi trended earlier this month after a video circulated showing her listing the designer labels she was wearing.
In the clip, she is seen wearing Bulgari earrings, a necklace and bracelet, an Audemars Piguet watch, a Dolce & Gabbana dress, Hermès Oran sandals, and a Hermès Birkin Kelly Croc exotic leather bag.
Helen Zille: ‘Grotesque display’
Zille commented on the display in a series of posts on X this week.
“This is insane. Does anyone even notice a woman’s handbag? I don’t. I have one all-purpose bag and a few cheap clutches (R150) if I need to take a lipstick and a comb to go out at night. Who in their right mind pays R800 000 for a handbag? Obscene doesn’t begin to describe it,” she wrote.
Zille added that she hopes the South African Revenue Service investigates.
“I hope the taxman is taking a close look at this grotesque display and finding out where the money came from, and whether proper tax has been paid on it. This is one outfit that costs about as much as the President’s annual salary,” she said.
Zille later said she had found a second-hand Hermès bag priced at more than R7 million online.
“So I decided to Google a second-hand Hermès bag. I found one on eBay for R7 143 872. You read that correctly. A second-hand handbag for the cost of a luxury house. Who does this sort of thing? And what’s more, it’s ugly,” she posted.
Mashazi’s expensive taste
In the viral video, Mashazi said she grew up in a “sophisticated family”, which shaped her taste.
“My father used to like fashion, and my mum. They used to buy us expensive clothes — you know, good leather shoes, and motivated us so that we are able to afford life,” she said.
Mashazi also spoke about collecting Hermès bags.
“All my bags, like this is a Birkin. I have almost all the colours of the exotic leather, and now I am doing a collection. The only handbag that I use is Hermès. The rest of the brands I have given to my daughter,” she said.
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