So much for rolling back the greed and selfishness of capitalism. Blade Nzimande, South Africa's general secretary of the Communist Party and a cabinet member, will probably have to turn in his trademark Mao cap and humble pie antics after dropping some serious cash on a brand-new BMW 750i.

The German-made vehicle was purchased with taxpayer money, and there is speculation that it will be for his personal use. A spokesperson from Nzimande's camp, Ranjeni Munusamy, vehemently denies the allegations of wasteful spending, stating, "Minister Nzimande does not condone wasteful expenditure under any circumstances and stands firm in his condemnation of greed, corruption and selfishness in society." ...

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the country's largest labor organization, believes that the purchase of costly vehicles is an absolute effrontery on Nzimande's part and a "slap in the face" to millions of his poor countrymen. Apparently, there are quite a few South African ministers who have been cited lately for their extravagant and "wasteful" purchases. Yet Nzimande's Bimmer puts him at the top of the high rollers list.

Nzimande, who is also the minister of higher education, is being criticized harshly because he recently berated the country's leading academic research institutions for having too much money. His countrymen are now wondering how many students could have used the $120,000 he spent on his ride.

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Ruth Manuel-Logan is a Car Chick indeed! She grew up in a family where cars reigned supreme. Who says girlie girls can't be into nuts and bolts, metal and exhaust fumes? When she's not car bloggin' at Black Voices, you can find her at the Examiner.