Is P.W. Zuma planning a coup? That was the first thought that came into my mind as I read about the “Draft state of emergency regulations”. Before you suggest I am exaggerating, read below:

BOLD “security officers would have the authority to cut all communication channels, including Internet access, and search, detain or arrest any person that authorities might deem necessary in order to maintain peace, law and order“. Sends chills down my spine.

The only mitigating factor is that the regulations have not yet been published, only reported on by Rapport and other media.

Worse than P.W. Botha

But, if the regulations are for real, they are worse, yes worse, than P.W. Botha in his lip-licking, finger pointing heydey.

in his time, despite the censorship of news, “all communication channels” were never cut off.

Most South Africans were not alive during Botha’s reign of terror in the 1980s. To many, apartheid, increasingly, is just a rallying cry word. But the 1980s were real and terrible. South Africa does not want to go there again.

Tanks in the streets, detainees being killed, people going underground, political killings, plumes of smoke on every horizon. Tear gas. Bullets. And more.

What now?

What the hell! The state is not under threat, immediate or distant. If anything is under threat it is the constitution, threatened by those who do Zuma’s bidding. The economy is under threat, from the implementation of Zuma’s stealing thousands. IT IS ZUMA WHO IS UNDER THREAT! From an increasingly angry South Africa.

Is he planning a coup (or is it the army, or others, acting unilaterally, to ensure the Zumas stay in power? Or is all this fake news? I hope so.

The Presidency responds

To hear the response from the Presidency listen here https://omny.fm/shows/talk-at-nine/presidency-responds-to-newspaper-reports-that-emer

… 23 minutes of ducking and diving from the presidency spokesman, who claims Zuma has absolutely no knowledge of the draft regulations, and that it does not emanate from the presidency. From whence does it emanate? The so-called ‘security cluster’?

How the hell can we believe him?

Zuma owes South Africa a full explanation of where these draconian draft regulations come from and their status.

Question is, will most South Africans believe anything that comes out of Zuma’s mouth, or that of his spokespeople, or most of his huge cabinet, anymore?