I know a large majority of South Africans think fondly of Thuli Madonsela, but perhaps we will only realise in the years to come just how steely her resolve was in the face of immense pressure.

She has never been afraid to stand up to those who wield much power here in South Africa, her reports often making her the target of ire from bigwig politicians and businesses, and in her final days she faces another massive showdown.

She has prepared what many in the know say is a spicy state capture report, and now the Guptas are trying to tighten the screws.

Below from the Mail & Guardian:

The Gupta family lawyers have told the public protector that should the findings of her state capture report include that the family was “in any way whatsoever involved in inappropriate conduct”, she would be doing so at her “own peril”.

“If you choose to include that my clients were in any way whatsoever involved in inappropriate conduct under circumstances where we have tendered evidence to the contrary and under circumstances where we had a clear right to contradict the evidence you have gathered, you do at your own peril and at your own risk,” a letter sent to outgoing Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s office by Van der Merwe Associates reads…

They had considered applying for an urgent interdict, but “since the exact adverse conclusions you intend to make are only speculation, I do not want to put my client at risk and thereby create a fresh media hype”.

They would wait for the report to be released, he said, and consider the contents before deciding on a way forward.

You know the joke that it’s the 99% of lawyers that give the other 1% a bad name? Well you can chuck Gert van der Merwe’s name into that 99%, because when you’re attempting to intimidate the Public Protector into withholding such a report then you’re nothing more than a bottom feeder.

Also, I’m only joking lawyer friends, some of you aren’t all that bad.

Let’s check the end of that letter sent Thuli’s way:

Any “forced” report, the letter continued, will be an effort to force the public protector’s views and “it is obvious you show distrust in your successor under these circumstances”.

“It begs the question whether you leave a well-respected office with ill-intent and with a last punch at your rival, the president,” the lawyer’s letter concluded.

Or maybe she wants to complete the job she started, the job of protecting the public from villains such as JZ and the Guptas.

My money’s on Thuli sticking to her guns and releasing that report, although what happens following that is anyone’s guess.

[source:mg]