Magashule & Malema vs Ramaphosa, plus 5 highlights from the new Vrye Weekblad
It was clear at the start of the past week that we could expect a fierce new attack from Ace Magashule and Julius Malema, writes Max du Preez in this week's edition of Afrikaans digital weekly Vrye Weekblad. Things just weren't going their way:
- Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane was declared a liar in a shock ruling by the Constitutional Court. Her days are numbered.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a credible challenge to Mkhwebane's findings against him in a nationally televised broadcast, and there was reason to believe the high court would by the end of the week grant an interdict against her findings regarding minister Pravin Gordhan.
- EFF deputy leader Floyd Shivambu was secretly visiting the don of "white monopoly capital", Johann Rupert, according to a new book by journalist Pieter du Toit.
- The Zondo commission investigating state capture started hearing testimony regarding the Estina dairy-farm scandal – the real story rather than the fiction of Mkhwebane's "investigation". It won't end well for Magashule and his fellow Gupta lieutenant Mosebenzi Zwane.
- Pieter-Louis Myburgh of the Scorpio unit for investigative journalism dug deep into the leaked Gupta emails and reported on even more problems at the dairy farm, once again linked to Magashule and former minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson.
Malema's first reaction was a public address outside the Pretoria high court after the court had heard Gordhan's application for an interdict.
We do not care what the white judge decided, he shouted, adding that only white and Indian people were supporting Gordhan's court action. The EFF was not stepping back from its war against Gordhan, he said.
Read this article FREE in Vrye Weekblad:
5 other must-read articles in this week's Vrye Weekblad
FREE TO READ | BORIS JOHNSON | There is a wild ride ahead for Britain thanks to its new prime minister, no matter how you look at it, writes Adri Kotzé.
ESTINA | Evidence of broken promises, lost millions, dairy cows, chilli sauce, a gospel choir and death threats was heard this week when the Vrede dairy-farm project was in the spotlight at the Zondo commission.
FREE TO READ | NETBALL FEVER | Liryn de Jager attended the 2003 Netball World Cup in Kingston, Jamaica, where SA didn't get very far at all. Who knew that 16 years could make such a difference?
FREE TO READ | NAKED IN THE SUPERMARKET | Put your broccoli into a brown paper bag and help us win the war against plastic, says a local supermarket chain. But Annelize Visser learns that the topic is a bit more complicated than that.
BUILDING BRIDGES | Johnny Clegg's legacy is not just his music, but also life lessons that will help build new bridges in our country, writes Lucas Ledwaba.