Columnist

The greatest news story of the year for South Africa, so far, is the dismissal of the deputy president from the cabinet by his immediate head, president Thabo Mbeki.

For his part, Jacob Zuma has blamed the media for treating him "unfairly" over the past "half-decade".

I was having a chat with my very good friend, the eminent journalist Joe Thloloe, chairperson of the SA National Editors? Forum (Sanef).

We compared notes and sentiments on Zuma.

I put it to Thloloe that he and his fellow editors had been unfair to uMsholozi in the way they had treated him for the last five years, and the Sanef man disagreed.

"To the best of my knowledge, he has not been unfairly treated. I think he is trying to deflect attention from himself and his problems. I find his argument ridiculous.

"Next thing he will be blaming Judge Squires for 'treating him unfairly'."

The 38 questions

I pointed out to Thloloe that a Sunday newspaper published in full, and point by exact point, the 38 questions which the Scorpions had for Zuma - even before he had been afforded the courtesy of seeing them first before they were given to the media.

The response was that the media could not be accused of doing their job well, and should not be held responsible for the leaks to the newspapers.

"If you run a newspaper and get to hear of the questions the police wish to ask someone, should you be persecuted for publishing the information?

"I cannot find a single instance where Zuma was treated unfairly by the media," Thloloe repeated adamantly.

That may be as it stands, but I strongly believe the whole arms deal must be thoroughly investigated through a commission chaired by an impartial judge, like Hilary Squires, from the very bottom. People like the late defence minister Joe Modise had grub by fingers from the arms deal, and he died with a lot of suspicion and mud sullying his otherwise impressive struggle record.

Tony Yengeni, another with a very enviable struggle record, was caught with his pants down. Now Zuma.

What Mbeki must do now is to appoint a judicial commission into the arms deal, otherwise embarrassing revelations will come up now and again.

Jon Qwelane's column is published each week on News24, courtesy of Jon Qwelane and the editor of Sunday Sun, which originally carried the article.

With acknowledgements to Jon Qwelane and News24.