Pauw book: buy a copy, urges author

JACQUES Pauw, the author of The President’s Keepers, has given the go-ahead for readers to continue reading a “hacked and pirated” PDF copy.

“If you have a PDF copy and can afford to buy a book, please do it. Erase the PDF and buy a book or the kindle version. If you can’t find a book now, read the PDF, but you should still order a book. If you cannot afford a book, go for it and read it. You have my blessing,” Pauw said in a Facebook statement.

Pauw said he had been bombarded with requests from people who wanted to pay him for the PDF copies.

This came after cautions that downloading the book without paying was illegal and amounted to stealing from the author.

The book was leaked as fears grew that it may be “banned” after the State Security Agency (SSA) demanded the publisher of Pauw’s book withdraw it from book stores and retract parts of the book.

The SA Revenue Service (Sars) indicated it could take legal action against the publishing of details about President Jacob Zuma’s tax information in the book.

“We face the potential of a multitude of legal challenges, criminal and civil. If you read the book, you’ll realiseit is a tried and tested strategy of the state to legally wear out its enemies,” Pauw noted.

Political parties have rallied behind Pauw and NB Publishers. DA leader Mmusi Maimane said SSA and Sars should be arresting real criminals, instead of pursuing authors exposing corruption. “In a democracy, the government is accountable to citizens. Information should be open and accessible. No more of this apartheid secrecy and intimidation.”

Cope leader Mosiuoa Lekota said the book was clearly in the public interest to pursue “real criminals”.

“They (SSA) should be launching searches and seizures at the premises of the tax dodgers, smugglers, crooks and criminals including raiding the Nkandla bunker, as well as the Union Buildings.”