What does Zuma have in his bag of surprises?

Just when tongues started wagging about the possible pardon of his friend and former financial adviser Schabir Shaik, Zuma's detractors were greeted by what some might regard as even more disturbing news - the possible release of convicted apartheid hit-squad commander Eugene de Kock as reported by The Sunday Independent. De Kock was sentenced in 1996 to two life terms and 212 years on 89 criminal charges, including murder, conspiracy to murder, and fraud. A report on the IoL site says Zuma met De Kock during a secret visit to the Pretoria Central Prison in April last year. It reported that 'sources close to De Kock' had described the meeting as cordial. Despite denials from the Presidency about the meeting, De Kock believes he will be freed by the end of the year and his men claim a photo was taken during the encounter. Full report on the IoL site

Many will argue that this is taking reconciliation too far, a Weekend Argus editorial says, while noting that De Kock is correct in saying that while he was jailed others - including those who gave him commands - got off scot-free. The paper sees merit in the President considering making such a generous gesture of reconciliation but says this should not be done in such a way that it can be interpreted as a smokescreen for granting Shaik pardon. That would sully the President's reputation and tarnish the pardon process, it says. Full Weekend Argus editorial (subscription needed)

It is possible for Zuma to stamp his authority as a great reconciler without resorting to outlandish pardons, The Sunday Independent says in an editorial. It expresses concern at information that Zuma is contemplating pardoning De Kock, 'the man who embodies apartheid', as speculation intensifies that Zuma will also pardon 'his friend Schabir Shaik, a shameless, convicted, corrupt fraudster released under what appear to be false pretences'. The paper asks how Zuma can be expected to be objective when his conflict of interest is clear. Beyond the friendship, the editorial says, Shaik was convicted for making corrupt payments to Zuma. The paper asks: How will Zuma, in pardoning Shaik, explain his involvement in the crime? Full editorial in The Sunday Independent (subscription needed)

Neither De Kock nor Shaik have repaid their debt to society and possible pardons would be unwarranted, the DA's James Selfe is quoted as saying in a report on the IoL site. Selfe pointed out Shaik had served less than two-and-a-half years of his 15-year sentence and De Kock had served just 13 years of his two life sentences. Full report on the IoL site

Shaik's pardon application rests on the same argument that eventually stymied the prosecutorial challenge against Zuma. This, says a Sunday Tribune report, is the gist of supplementary documents filed in support of Shaik's application for a pardon. In December, his legal team sent papers to the President's office which claim Shaik was also a victim of the conspiracy to thwart Zuma's political ambitions. Shaik's application reportedly says, among other things, that he refused to cut a deal with prosecutors in return for his testimony against Zuma. The application also draws on the National Intelligence Agency tapes that resulted in corruption charges being dropped against Zuma. Full Sunday Tribune report