“Little wonder he has chosen to live abroad”

GO BIG, or stay home. That’s the lesson prospective whistle-blowers should take on board from African National Congress dissident Andrew Feinstein, who has published an explosive account of why he resigned as an MP in protest against the party’s refusal to investigate allegations of corruption in the multibillion-rand arms deal.

No fannying about with an anonymous tip-off here or leak to a newspaper there — Feinstein bided his time, got his ducks in a row and has now let rip with an exposé of the variety that brings down governments.

The book, After the Party, pulls no punches in exposing the senior officials he says closed ranks to protect the ruling party at the country’s expense, and his comments in subsequent interviews have been every bit as hard-hitting.

After all the ducking and diving that has characterised the government’s response to questions on the awarding of arms deal contracts up to now, Feinstein’s direct, no-nonsense approach is a breath of fresh air.

It takes a brave man to break ranks in this way, especially when there is a particularly nasty succession battle on the go and the main protagonists are all implicated.

Little wonder he has chosen to live abroad for the time being.

With acknowledgement to Business Day.