Fear and loathing on tape
TRANSCRIPTS of the spy tape conversations shed light on the political machinations of Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma’s battle for control of the ANC and the country in 2007.
The full version of the recordings was secured by the Sunday Times in 2014.
In one of the recordings, then Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy — who clearly considered himself to be part of the Mbeki camp — tears into the then foreign affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
At the time, Dlamini-Zuma was being groomed to take over as president when Mbeki’s term ended in 2009.
But McCarthy slams Dlamini-Zuma’s performance in a radio interview, describing it as “shocking, tentative, vulnerable and insecure”.
In another recording, businessman and lobbyist Mzi Khumalo says of former president Kgalema Motlanthe that he is using “Zuma as a Trojan horse” and positioning himself to take over the reins because he believes Zuma will be charged and convicted. DEFIANT: Jacob Zuma speaks to supporters at the High Court in Pietermaritzburg in 2008, after appearing in court to push for the dismissal of corruption charges against him
Also on tape is a December 2007 conversation between the then justice minister and the head of the Scorpions.
With rumours that Zuma’s arrest by McCarthy is imminent swirling at the ANC’s elective conference in Polokwane, Brigitte Mabandla makes a call to McCarthy.
“Ooo, there is so much panic, the whole of last night, this morning. I called [then acting national director of public prosecutions, Mokotedi] Mpshe yesterday, eh, that you are about to arrest the old man.”
“Yeah, no, no, no; all that is happening is that we have to file today our opposition at the Constitutional Court to his application for a review of the search warrants.”
but you know what, sorry, I just think that, eh, I was talking to Mpshe to say please can, eh, you know the country is agog. I don’t want — I don’t think we want — that there be a loss of life there, you know, really.”