The Year That Was: Daily Maverick's Most-Read Articles of 2018

[Click here for the web version of this email]( [Daily Maverick] Monday, 31 December 2018 “I've been popular and unpopular successful and unsuccessful loved and loathed and I know how meaningless it all is. Therefore I feel free to take whatever risks I want.” Madonna The Year That Was [VBS bank heist: EFF’s family ties and moneyed connections]( By Pauli Van Wyk EFF President Julius Malema and his “corruption-busting” political party directly benefited from the VBS Mutual bank heist, a Scorpio investigation has found. Scorpio traced the flow of illicit VBS funds, earmarked for a property in the affluent Johannesburg suburb of Sandown, through three fronts that also dished out money to the EFF. Julius Malema stayed for years at the property, which is now registered as an EFF asset. Over R1,8-million of the same illicit VBS funds were used to prop up the EFF, Scorpio has found. Stripped to its essence, a company officially owned by Floyd Shivambu's brother made questionable payments to a company owned by Malema's cousin. Both these companies operated like slush funds which dispersed money to where it was needed. This is a story of how the constituency Malema claims to fight for – the poor, the young and the vulnerable – was robbed to feed the EFF leader's private and political interests. [Click here]( for more info on our Arbitration centre SARS - Tom Moyane's Downfall [ANC goes to ground after New York Times exposé on Deputy President Mabuza]( While acting President David Mabuza was taking care of the country at the weekend while President Cyril Ramaphosa attended the wedding of his son Andile in Uganda, the world’s most respected newspaper, The New York Times, published an in-depth and devastating investigation of how the country’s Deputy President allegedly siphoned off millions from Mpumalanga schools to “buy loyalty and amass enormous power” in the party. By Marianne Thamm [TRAINSPOTTER: Cyril Ramaphosa and his many big, fat, mayo-drenched polony sandwiches]( The rise of Cyril Ramaphosa was supposed to give South Africans a chance to have a nice cup of tea following the nine-year Zuma donnybrook. Instead, the ANC reboot has sent ripples into the farthest corners of the country’s body politic. The single most explosive issue – land – has now been detonated, and it’s worth asking whether Ramaphosa has the nous, the power and the personnel to deal effectively with the challenges that lie ahead. Or will he be force-fed the political equivalent of a meat tube made of the assholes and snouts of pigs? By RICHARD POPLAK. — [Click here]( for more info on our Arbitration centre [Magashule will fight to the bitter end, Zuma too]( By Stephen Grootes It is now becoming clear that those aligned to ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule and former President Zuma are not going to give up their positions and power without a massive and increasingly desperate fight. While it may be the case that President Cyril Ramaphosa is still on the offensive and has certain tools with which he could perhaps weaken their faction, it is becoming clear that there is no easy or quick end to this political contestation. In fact, it now appears more likely that for various reasons Magashule will have no choice but to fight to the political death, because of his alleged criminal activity in the past. The question then may well be how long this will continue and what damage this escalating battle will do to the ANC. That, and the impact this massive schism could have on the 2019 elections. By Stephen Grootes [Madonsela’s report on Malema’s manufactured money hits hard and deep]( Only a month after Julius Malema appeared in the magistrate’s court for money laundering, the Public Protector has released her report into the company he co-owns, On-Point Engineering. The findings are damning and read like a guide on how to turn connections and lies into Range Rovers and Breitlings. By GREG NICOLSON. [R500-billion and counting! Minister’s bombshell affidavit puts the first costing on State Capture]( Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan’s testimony to the Zondo commission of inquiry places former President Jacob Zuma front and centre of the State Capture project. By Ferial Haffajee — [Support DAILY MAVERICK & get FREE UBER vouchers]( Not all memberships count points. Some memberships actually count FOR something and have tangible benefits. Maverick Insiders who contribute R150 or more per month, get R100 worth of free UBER vouchers every month. Yes, every month until October 2019. [Click here]( to sign-up. (Added bonus: you’re also now an even better, more mobile, person.) [Click here]( for more info on our Arbitration centre [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2018 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Daily Maverick Afternoon Thing subscriber list. Want to advertise in this mail? 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