The Selebi case

Ya whatever who cares about the case when you a) you're pretty sure Selebi will walk, somehow, and b) you have actually met and chatted to the State's final witness!!

Here

This guy Gilder was a top spy for years. I met him at a SAIIA conference organised by one of my former colleagues. I tried to make a funny but it wasn't funny, apparently. But I get that a lot from less verkrampte people. Then I asked about all the Kebble stuff in the Mail and Guardian (this was at least 2.5 years ago). Gilder said "what stuff?" and then walked away. Ha ha. He's an old hardcore communist from back in the Joe Slovo days, and also happens to be Jewish.

Anyway the point is that he's supposed to testify against Selebi but Selebi's lawyers have affidavits from the new State Security Minister and some other guy to the effect that Gilder's information is confidential on the grounds that, should it be disclosed, it may threaten national security. So a new Zuma-appointed Minister supporting supposed Mbeki-ite from the previous administration. Weird, and suggests that the Minister may actually be acting in faith, not because he wants to help Selebi. Oh but ya, dodgy dealings spread so far and wide under Mbeki that pretty much everyone has something to hide, and so everyone protects everyone else in the name of something bogus like national security.


Hopefully the judge tells Selebi's lawyers and the Minister to fork off!