The last piece of the puzzle fell in place this week at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture, when two former heads of intelligence testified that Zuma forbade them to investigate the Guptas.
In 2011, the country's three spy bosses were called into the state security minister's office in Cape Town. Jeff Maqetuka was the DG of National Intelligence, and Gibson Njenje and Mo Shaik were in charge of local and foreign intelligence respectively.
The minister was Dr Siyabonga Cwele, an MD and economist and long-standing member of the ANC. He was also a known Zuma lackey and confidant.
He called in the spy bosses all the way from Pretoria. The atmosphere in the office was cold and stiff. The three of them didn't trust Cwele. He, in turn, doubted their loyalty.
Just a few days before this meeting, Maqetuka, Njenje, Shaik and their top management decided to investigate the Guptas. This wide-ranging investigation would include their business empire and their influence on Zuma.
Read all about it in this week's edition of Afrikaans digital weekly Vrye Weekblad.
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