Back in the 2011 elections Jacob Zuma and the ANC knew they had a fight on their hands against the DA for control of the Western Cape. ‘Desperate times call for desperate measures’ goes the saying, and it looks like Jacob was prepared to get his hands very dirty in an effort to secure vital votes.

It has emerged that Zuma met with some kingpin crime bosses, including Quinton “Mr Big” Marinus and “Americans” gang leader Igshaan Davids. The meeting took place at JZ’s official Cape residence just 16 days before the elections on 18 May 2011. The meeting was arranged by long-time Zuma family friend Lloyd Hill, who is rumoured to be Davids’ cousin.

These are the details of that meeting back in 2011 courtesy of Amabhungane:

At the opening, Hill thanked the president for seeing the group and then said in Afrikaans: “OK, ouens, hier’s julle kans nou, praat nou. Die ou ballie is net so ’n naai soos ons. (OK, guys, this is your chance now, speak up. The old-timer is a fucker just like us”).

The sources said it seemed he knew the president well enough to address him in this way. They said it also broke the ice: everybody laughed.

According to one version given to amaBhungane, the party political nature of the meeting was clear. Marinus said at one point: “Mr President, we will mobilise our members and work hard for you.”

Either he or Davids said: “Mr President, we will win the province back for the ANC.”

Zuma asked: “How will you do this?”

Marinus said: “We have our troops inside each community. We will mobilise them and we will swing the vote.”

He then added: “Sir, we’re having big problems with Sars [the South African Revenue Service].”

Zuma listened. He said: “We will look into that.”

At the time, Sars had recently seized assets belonging to Marinus, including his home in the upmarket Cape suburb of Plattekloof, to recover tax debts he owed…

According to one account, everybody had to leave their cellphones and weapons in the boardroom, and there was a pile of guns and phones on the boardroom table. Most of the people at the meeting arrived armed.

Now some sources close to Hill say that the story is being twisted, the gang leaders just a few amongst a host of influential religious leaders and businessmen. Let’s take a closer look at the chequered history of Zuma family friend Hill then…

…in December 1995 he [Hill] was arrested near Cape Town when police stopped and searched a vehicle he was driving and discovered it packed with 3 678 abalone. It is not clear what became of the case.

On April 24 2002, an insurance broker, Bill Sabido, was abducted while he was waiting to give evidence in a case against a Durban businessperson, Osman Aboo. Hill, Claude Samuel and others were later arrested for Sabido’s murder.

Samuel became a state witness, implicating Hill and others, but then recanted. A fortnight before he was due to appear in court, he was found strangled in a cell in Westville prison. Charges were withdrawn against all the accused.

They say you can judge a man by the company he keeps. In that case I don’t know who comes out worse, this Hill character or Jacob Zuma.

[source:amabhungane]