O'Sullivan the Commissioner slayer strikes again

[Daily Maverick] FIRST THING with JOHN STUPART TGIF, 9 February 2018 “Until we're rotten, we cannot be ripe.” Geoffrey Chaucer [We Buy Cars. Selling? We're buying!]( STORY OF THE DAY [Paul O’Sullivan: National Police Commissioner slayer strikes again]( By MARIANNE THAMM It’s insane, really, that a private individual should have played a significant role in ensuring, in a little over 16 years, that two SAPS National Police Commissioners have found themselves in the dock accused of fraud and corruption. As former acting National Commissioner, Khomotso Phahlane, his wife and a Pretoria car dealer appeared in the Pretoria Specialised Commercial Crimes court on Thursday, forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan vowed to continue exposing high-level corrupt cops and other officials who have captured SAPS and who have been running it like a branch of a criminal syndicate. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [Second US government shutdown looms]( A midnight deadline for an agreement on a budget is likely to be missed, forcing yet another government shutdown. Critics would be eager to blame Democrats, but it was 2016 Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul who set the nail in the financial coffin. Criticising "out-of-control" government spending in a long speech, Paul's delay will now probably create a second government shutdown in less than a month. [Fighting rages in CAR]( At least 7,400 people have fled fighting in north-west Central African Republic. Inter-militia clashes in the area flared up according to the ICRC. Violence in the region has been dominated by fighting between the National Movement for the Liberation of the Central African Republic and Revolution and Justice. UN peacekeepers have been struggling since January to contain the fighting, evidently to no avail. [Oxfam aid workers in prostitution ring scandal]( Senior Oxfam relief workers in Haiti have been accused of hiring sex workers while deployed to the country during the 2010 earthquake. Oxfam's country director Roland van Hauwermeiren resigned after admitting to the allegations. Oxfam, meanwhile, declined to institute any disciplinary actions against him. [VR could help psychotics - study]( The use of virtual reality combined with regular treatment can reduce paranoia and anxiety in those with psychotic disorders. Scientists in the Netherlands conducted trials involving 116 patients using VR exercises to aid in lowering tension relating to social interactions. The result, the study found, was considerably reduced paranoia and anxiety during real-life interactions after simulating similar events in VR. [We Buy Cars. Selling? We're buying!]( PICTURE OF THE DAY EPA-EFE/SANHSING A photo from the Sanhsing Township Office shows people posing for photographs beside 3m dogs made of straw in Sanhsing Township, Taiwan, 6 February 2018. The township office has made two large dogs and three puppies to usher in the Chinese New Year, or the Year of the Dog, which starts on 16 February. IN NUMBERS 107 The age of Disney artist and animator Ruthie Thompson. She is alive to this day. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 1986 was the last time Halley's Comet appeared in the inner Solar System. Hours before his fatal heart attack, James Gandolfini had consumed a double order of fried king prawns, a pile of foie gras washed down with two pina coladas, four shots of rum, and several beers. [We Buy Cars. Selling? We're buying!]( FEATURED ARTICLES [Zuma Watch: Staggering all the way to the end]( [Zuma Watch: Staggering all the way to the end]( BY Carien du Plessis [The Final Countdown: How should Zuma go?]( [The Final Countdown: How should Zuma go?]( BY REBECCA DAVIS & GREG NICOLSON [Zexit: Like sands through an hourglass, these are the days of our lives – Episode 3,197]( [Zexit: Like sands through an hourglass, these are the days of our lives – Episode 3,197]( BY Marianne Merten [Analysis: Dear President Zuma, waiting’s just another word for nothing left to lose]( [Analysis: Dear President Zuma, waiting’s just another word for nothing left to lose]( BY Stephen Grootes [China reacts with fury to Tibetan leader’s visit to South Africa]( [China reacts with fury to Tibetan leader’s visit to South Africa]( BY PETER FABRICIUS [Notes from the House: Veterans appeal to Ramaphosa over ‘derailed’ train systems]( [Notes from the House: Veterans appeal to Ramaphosa over ‘derailed’ train systems]( BY MOIRA LEVY [Inxeba: Wounding the Pride and Prejudice of Xhosa men?]( [Inxeba: Wounding the Pride and Prejudice of Xhosa men?]( BY Nkateko Mabasa [News brief: Blast, stench lead to arrests in two Cape Town ‘abalone’ houses]( [News brief: Blast, stench lead to arrests in two Cape Town ‘abalone’ houses]( BY Tony Carnie [The DRC crisis can no longer be neglected]( [The DRC crisis can no longer be neglected]( BY Samy Badibanga OPINIONISTAS [SECTION27’s challenge to corporate citizens – invest in social justice activism]( [SECTION27’s challenge to corporate citizens – invest in social justice activism]( A column by Mark Heywood [The Other News Round-Up: When the Chips are Down]( [The Other News Round-Up: When the Chips are Down]( A column by Marelise van der Merwe [Fragile masculinity exposed yet again amid outrage over Inxeba]( [Fragile masculinity exposed yet again amid outrage over Inxeba]( A column by Aphiwe Ngalo [There is no allegation of corruption against MyCiTi]( [There is no allegation of corruption against MyCiTi]( A column by Brett Herron [In defence of Patricia de Lille: Let’s unpack the allegations]( [In defence of Patricia de Lille: Let’s unpack the allegations]( A column by Simon Grindrod [Brave conversations needed about LGBTQI+ Muslims]( [Brave conversations needed about LGBTQI+ Muslims]( A column by Ayesha Fakie — Weather BFN: min: 18° max 31°, cloudy CPT: min: 16° max: 23°, rainy DBN: min: 21° max: 28°, cloudy JHB: min: 15° max: 23°, cloudy KIM: min: 19° max: 33°, cloudy MHK: min: 18° max: 29°, cloudy NLP: min: 17° max: 31°, cloudy PE: min: 20° max: 36°, cloudy PMB: min: 17° max: 32°, sunny PTA: min: 17° max: 27°, cloudy Financial Data Oil=$64.75 Gold=$1,317.55 Platinum=$975.14 R/$=12.15 R/€=14.89 R/£=16.91 BTC/$=8,368 JSE All Share=56,635.69 DJIA=24,250.91 FTSE 100=7,170.69 [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2017 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. 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