Daily Maverick's Top Reads of 2016 Part Two

[Daily Maverick] Thursday, 29th December 2016 [Gupta hidden hand behind Gordhan ‘arrest’ and how Zuma could be co-accused on SARS ‘rogue unit’ case] The manoeuvre by the Hawks and National Prosecuting Authority to arrest Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was exposed by one of the Gupta brothers in a business meeting over a week ago, Daily Maverick has learnt. The arrest of Gordhan, together with former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and the former SARS acting commissioner Ivan Pillay, is allegedly being plotted to enable another takeover of the National Treasury. But as part of the fightback by former high-ranking government officials, information has emerged that could implicate President Jacob Zuma in the development of intelligence capability at SARS. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY. [Marius Fransman sexual abuse case reopened as new evidence emerges] Police in Kimberley have reopened a case of sexual assault against ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman after a series of WhatsApp messages Fransman sent to the 20-year-old woman, Louisa Wynand, days before she was due to travel with the ANC leader to attend the ruling party’s 104th anniversary in Rustenberg, were forwarded by Daily Maverick to the NPA, who in turn sent them to the Northern Cape Deputy Director of Public Prosecution. Earlier, police announced that the charges had been withdrawn “due to a lack of evidence”. The messages paint a picture of a manipulative and inappropriately flirtatious communication between a married middle-aged politician and his newly-appointed young employee. By MARIANNE THAMM. [The Great Unravelling: Zuma’s security empire crumbles as political and legal woes mount] Eight years ago today, an ANC national executive committee (NEC) meeting began at the Esselen Park conference centre in Ekurhuleni. A day later, it was announced that “after a long and difficult discussion, the ANC has decided to recall the President of the Republic before his term of office expires”. The decision to recall Thabo Mbeki enabled a sudden shift of power in the state to President Jacob Zuma. His once powerful security empire is now devouring itself, with few people left he can rely on. As Zuma becomes a growing liability to the ANC, he is also being left legally exposed as his protection force falls apart. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY. [The Endgame: Zuma on the ropes as ANC tactical manoeuvre unfolds] For the first time since his election as leader of the ANC, President Jacob Zuma is facing a rebellion inside the party’s national executive committee (NEC) – a structure that has the power to recall him as president of the Republic. A two-day NEC meeting has been extended into Monday as heated battles continue behind closed doors over whether to vote Zuma out of office. The president and his allies are trying to defer the vote but his detractors have a fall-back plan should their bid to remove him fail in the NEC. Whatever happens on Monday, this power play signals the endgame for Jacob Zuma. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY. [LGE2016 Results: ANC takes battering while opposition heads for coalition talks] Whatever the final outcome of the 2016 local government elections, the African National Congress (ANC) has received a nasty wake-up call from the electorate. With almost 90% of the votes confirmed by late Thursday night, the ANC had already lost one metro and was locked in a nail-biting race for control of the three Gauteng metros. A significant portion of the ANC’s support base has clearly turned against Africa’s oldest liberation movement. The Democratic Alliance (DA), meanwhile, has exceeded its own expectations and scored major psychological victories in this election. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is unlikely to win a municipality, as it had hoped, but now steps into the role of kingmaker in Gauteng. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY. [TRAINSPOTTER: Mosebenzi Zwane, a man who tried to rob a whole country] Just when you thought the Home of the Noiseless Condom couldn’t get any dumber, along comes Mosebenzi Zwane, and the statement that wasn’t a statement. But that was totally a statement. By RICHARD POPLAK. [Al-Maite Fail: When the hole in your head just won’t quit] We tend not to pay too much attention to the International Relations portfolio. With the Presidency, National Treasury, the Police, Education and others preoccupying the news, we are inclined to think that matters like foreign relations are hunky-dory because, well, we are not at war and Donald Trump would probably have about 23 other countries to bomb first. Judging by Al Jazeera’s interview with International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, clearly our cocksureness is misplaced. If the interview was any reflection on how our diplomatic relations are handled, South Africa is in serious peril. It is Nkoana-Mashabane rather than scenes of violence of social upheaval that needs to be banned from television screens. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY. [Op-Ed: Ajay Gupta and the interview that supposedly never happened] On the 16th of February this year, I conducted an interview with Ajay Gupta. I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to do so, only to be completely frustrated and angry that I was then not allowed to talk about it, or publish anything, until now. The reason was that a non-disclosure agreement was attached to the interview. However, Bell-Pottinger, the international PR company contracted by the Gupta family to manage its reputation, did not live up to the assurances provided. Ajay Gupta lied. But now, finally, because a portion of the interview has emerged on YouTube, I am in a position to disclose what happened. By STEPHEN GROOTES. [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND] Copyright © 2016 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Daily Maverick First Thing subscriber list. [Preferences] | [Unsubscribe]