I’ve said it a before and I maintain that 2oceansvibe will never become altogether “political.” I do, however, have to lend an ear to the state of the nation and report back from time to time. Particularly when it is taking such a spicy tone, as it is at the moment.

Jay Z

The Sunday Times exposed Thabo Mbeki on the weekend for his involvement in the never-ending Arms Deal probe. An interesting development at a time which features headlines suggesting people will kill for his potential successor, Jacob Zuma. People who also vaguely threaten war at the suggestion that he (Zuma) is even tried in court for his own prior spicy dealings.

I don’t like to make public assumptions in this regard and prefer, as is often the case, to turn to The Marketer, Jonty Fisher who writes for Mail & Guardian’s Thought Leader opinion blog and forum.

Jonty kicks off with:

The recent reports of Mbeki’s alleged misdemeanours in the Sunday Times, along with the elevated rhetoric from those in the Zuma camp over the last week, have surprised and rightly concerned many. Rumours of Mbeki’s involvement in the arms deal have been whispered and deliberated in the corridors of ANC power for some time now, but the timing of the “leak” of this report is in no way coincidental, and forms part of a wider campaign to force the country to accept the final option open to guarantee Zuma’s freedom.

Last week’s decision by the Constitutional Court to allow the damning documents seized from Zuma’s home and office saw Zuma’s last real chance for freedom spurned. So what is left for Zuma? The answer to that question has been coming for months now, certainly ever since Polokwane, and we are currently ringside at the final outcome. The last page of the Zuma playbook is a blanket amnesty for all those involved in the arms deal, thus ridding Zuma of his presidential shackles and damning Mbeki by implication.

More here..

Nice. A spicy time we’re living in!

Apart from his Mail & Guardian offering, Jonty’s thoughts can also be had at his very own blog, The Fishbowl.

Aah, South Africa – never a dull moment!