One book awakens the whole nation

Books have been written and launched so many times in the country. We have seen great authors amongst our people and so forth and one way or the other a new book that is being released usually or becomes news in book readers or whatever platforms use to talk about such. South Africa has seen books being written about many people whom we cherish and regard as leaders and heroes and heroines of our beautiful land. Not so long ago a book about Mr Mandela health was written and the family reacted to that as saying the author broke the doctor-patient principle or rule or confidentiality and the book was recalled if I am putting it correctly, but one thing I know is that you won’t find in the shelves.

Recently, another author has taken a country by storm with his book that is titled: The President’s keepers. In this book the author Jacques Pauw writes about the president Jacob Zuma. Upon the release of the book, Jacques admits to have been receiving or received death threats regarding what the book contains. I have not read the book, but when watching what was supposed to be a launch for this book after the original day of the launch left everyone wondering what was going on when the power went off, anyways on this second launch Mr Pauw mentioned that Mr President during his early years in presidency, failed to submit tax returns. It is unclear whether the South African Revenue Services (SARS) will also follow into the steps of the State Security Agency (SSA) in laying charges against author Jacques Pauw in saying he violated tax laws, despite SARS trying to get Zuma to pay the tax returns.

The book got people talking, in fact the whole country talking, politicians, celebrities and fellow citizens. Some are strong supporters of the president and are very critical of the book and Jacques Pauw. When I was watching his launch, the second day of course, I liked how he presented himself, I liked how he handled questions coming from people and journalist regarding his book. He did not pose as someone who is threatened, who is afraid of what might happen to him because of his book. One statement he made that made me be this intrigued in him, was when he told the people that he had investigated people before regarding their tax returns it’s not his first time. From there I saw that this is someone with experience who knows what he is doing and is doing it without fear or favour.

I am getting a sense that president Zuma is portrayed as untouchable, I mean why else would someone get death threats for supposedly exposing Mr President? If people say the president is being accused of criminality, one must come forward with proof for all to see or otherwise. Zuma when addressing a crowd in Kagiso, said he did nothing wrong, statement of which Thuli Madonsela said it undermined the highest court in the land. The SSA has sent Pauw two cease and desist letters to Jacques Paw. The Hawks are also investigating the possible leaking of classified information. What is classified information? What do the hawks mean by this, do they mean if I am corrupt then their information about my corruption allegations that they are sitting on top of doing nothing about then if someone else comes forward exposing my corruptness that is classified information? Maybe I am wrong but I need to understand what classified information is and these hawks as said by a professor Patrick Lumumba during Onkgopotse Tiro’s memorial lecture that the Hawks are harmless they are nothing compared to the Scorpions.

They have so called classified information but what are they doing with it, our country is dead alive in their presence. The scorpions were doing an outstanding job in ensuring our country is not in the hands of those like the current leaders, whom only care about themselves. I am looking forward to reading this book by Jacques Pauw even though here have been attempts by the SSA to push Pauw to remove certain parts of the book and have the book removed from circulating. Pauws’ lawyers have written back to the SSA saying that it is not going to happen. Pauw also told president Zuma to stop hiding behind laws to hide crime. Pauw during an interview with ENCA mentioned that he tried to avoid the Gupta family, but it kept coming up so making it difficult for him to turn a blind eye. If really our president is as innocent as he says he is, why is it that investigations always find him to be ‘not so clean’ after all. If this was one person with all these allegations to Mr President, I would personally say it’s an obsession onto the president, but no.

One thing I am wondering right now since the December Conference by the ANC is, what is going to happen to Jacob Zuma after the conference. I wish someone can just fill me in onto what the president will be busy with and doing what exactly. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.