Johannesburg – In a startling new turn in the Deputy President David Mabuza book saga, The Star has seen emails it was Jan Venter, the former butler of former Mpumalanga premier Mathews Phosa, who tipped Mabuza off that he (Venter) and Fred Daniel were collaborating with journalist Rehana Roussow to publish a book about Mabuza.
Mabuza and Venter had been known to be sworn enemies.
The book, Predator Politics, details aspects of the Mpumalanga province’s alleged mismanagement of land issues.
The dispute between Daniel and Mabuza has been to court on two occasions, Daniel losing both. In a judgment The Star has seen, a court in Carolina, Mpumalanga, found that Daniel was an abuser of the court process. Magistrate Grabe found “Daniel used the courts in an attempt to hide his own illegal activities”.
In a second application to interdict Mabuza “from killing him”, Daniel later withdrew his application in the North Gauteng High Court. Last month, Daniel’s star witness, Nomfundo Sambo, was sentenced to 7 years’ imprisonment.
Daniel is said to be determined to prove that Mabuza and other government officials prevented him from creating an Eco Estate in Badplaas, which cost him nearly R2 billion.
In another surprise move, Venter has also laid criminal charges against National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi and Justice Phillip Coppin of the Gauteng High Court.
Mabuza has denied being asked for comment on the book. Mabuza’s office told The Star: “We can confirm that the author did not approach the office of the deputy president for comment on the book.”
The Star