 | |
| Author | Jacques Pauw |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | NB Publishers |
Publication date | 29 October 2017 |
| Publication place | South Africa |
| Pages | 360 |
| ISBN | 978-0-624-08303-0 (Paperback) |
| Followed by | Our Poisoned Land |
| ||
|---|---|---|
African National CongressuMkhonto weSizwe President(2009–2018)
| ||
The President's Keepers: Those Keeping Zuma in Power and out of Prison a 2017 book byJacques Pauw, a South Africaninvestigative journalist, about allegedly corrupt and compromised power networks in theSouth African government underPresidentJacob Zuma.
In eighteen chapters and an epilogue, the book details the creation and functioning of a "shadowmafia state"[1] created by and surrounding PresidentJacob Zuma. Pauw makes a number of serious allegations about Zuma, including that he did not pay taxes duringhis presidency, that he was illegally paidR1 million ($70,000) a month by a private company while president, that he failed to pay back loans, and that he has poor financial acumen.
The book also makes a number of accusations concerning criminal and other misconduct by various associates of Zuma. These include that theGupta family groomed the children ofAfrican National Congress (ANC) politicians to gain political influence and thatNkosazana Dlamini-Zuma's 2017 campaign for ANC president was funded by a cigarette company engaged in corruption. It also contains details of thestate capture of theSouth African Revenue Service (SARS) and the wasteful creation of a R1-billion (around US$70,000,000) spy network within theState Security Agency (SSA) that allegedly engaged in widespread corruption.
Within four days of the book's publication it was cited inparliamentary questions directed at the president by the oppositionDemocratic Alliance.[2] On 3 November 2017, the SSA issued acease and desist letter against Pauw and NB Publishers, arguing that the book contravened theIntelligence Service Act.[3] SARS also stated that they would consider initiating criminal charges against Pauw for publicising confidential tax records.[4] The actions by the SSA and SARS were criticised ascensorship by civil society organisations including theRight2Know Campaign[5] andCorruption Watch,[6] as well as by theSouth African Communist Party.[7] ThePublic Protector,Busisiwe Mkhwebane, also cautioned the public against purchasing the book,[8] and the family of SSA headArthur Fraser said that they would consider taking legal action against Pauw for what they said were inaccuracies in the book.[9]
NB Publishers and various book stores said that they would continue to distribute the book, which they said contained factual information that was in thepublic interest.[6][10] Indeed, fear that the book would be bannedcaused a spike in its sales:[1] it sold out of its first print run of 20,000 books within 24 hours of the SSA's cease and desist letter[11] and became aninternational best seller.[12] Because of the resulting shortage of books, combined with the threat of censorship, adigitally pirated version of the book was widely shared in the week after the cease and desist letter.[13]
A launch of the book on the evening of Wednesday 8 November 2017 was cancelled after a power outage. During the launch, Pauw told attendees that he expected to spend years fighting legal battles.[citation needed] He also said that he had received anonymousdeath threats.[14] In February 2018, theHawks searched his home and guesthouse inRiebeek-Kasteel, Western Cape in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation.[15] However, in September of that year, SARS, by then under new leadership, announced that it would drop its litigation against Pauw.[16]
According to audited six-month sales figures, the book sold 193,895 copies, around 26,000 of which wereebooks, by late March 2018. As of May 2018, around 197,000 copies had been sold.[17]
The book won the International Freedom to Publish Award from theAssociation of American Publishers and received the Nielsen Booksellers' Choice Award.[18]
