“‘We are not estranged’. Contacted by cellphone this week, Sheryl said media reports citing “intelligence sources and ANC members” that she and her husband are estranged are “not true. We are not estranged and we’re living together. But I cannot say anything more, as my lawyer has instructed me not to speak to the press.”

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-02-12-family-trips-show-a-very-married-mr-and-mrs-cwele

“The arrest of Cwele, whose husband is South Africa’s spy chief and thus a very powerful member of the cabinet, signals that the criminal justice system is not nearly as corrupted by political nepotism as one might have suspected.”

Sorry, Prof, but I think that you are being naive here and giving the government, Police and Justice department far too much credit.

The reason that charges have been brought is that hard and seemingly incontravertable evidence has been uncovered and brought into the public domain, in the form of e-mails, cellphone conversations etc.
The family of Ms Beetge would have gone the private prosecution / Nolle prosecui route had the authorities failed to act.

The Cwele’s have also reportedly been separated / living apart for a number of years (if not, it is a good excuse, and provides a good “out” for the minister) , so Cheryl would appear to be expendable – no cadre to protect here.

The justice system seems to me to be totally corrupted by political nepotism – the ANC is just choosey about which cadres it protects, and which are expendable.

“Does this provide enough prima facie ground for him to have possible known about his wife’s illegal activities on the basis of which he should or shouldn’t step down?”

It seems that the Minister also went on “holiday” with his not so estranged wife.

But it was Mozambique so no inferences can be draw aside from that he probably cannot resist a good prawn!

New developments, according to Sheryl Cwele’s lawyer, suggest that the Minister and his wife have actually never separated as it was reported in the media. The two are said to have spent the holiday together in Mozambique recently. In fact the Minister showed up in court today to support his wife in her bid to get bail while awaiting for her trial to resume in October this year.

See the link below: http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/6748120e4a5542cdaf037618b531ca96/05-02-2010-04-13/Cwele_granted_R100_000_bail_

Does this provide enough prima facie ground for him to have possible known about his wife’s illegal activities on the basis of which he should or shouldn’t step down?

New developments, according to Sheryl Cwele’s lawyer, suggest that the Minister and his wife have actually never separated as it was reported in the media. The two are said to have spent the holiday together in Mozambique recently. In fact the Minister showed up in court today to support his wife in her bid to get bail while awaiting for her trial to resume in October this year.

See the link below: http://www.news24.com/Content/SouthAfrica/News/1059/6748120e4a5542cdaf037618b531ca96/05-02-2010-04-13/Cwele_granted_R100_000_bail_

Does this provide enough prima facie ground for him to have possible known about his wife’s illegal activities on the basis of whicch he should or shouldn’t he step down?

ANC Approach- Catch me if you can!!!!!!!!!!! or Show me yours(facts) and I will show you mine!!!!!!!!!!!

Now it seems that I was hasty in regretting my views.

“It was not true that State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele and his drug trafficking accused wife Sheryl have been estranged for five years, a court heard.

“Sheryl Cwele’s lawyer Mvuseni Ngubane told the Pietermaritzburg High Court the couple had spent the December holidays together in Mozambique.

“The allegation is a lie. It does not exist,” he said.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/article293574.ece

I think a bit of fence sitting is appropriate until we are better informed.

Agreed.

The Minister ought to have said something much earlier.

It does not say much for the media either – this is something that they ought to have picked up as soon as the story broke.

“We simply do not know what transpired in the Cwele household, whether the Minister had any inkling of his wife’s alleged nefarious activities or whether the Minister had been asked by his wife to use his power and influence to try and prevent her arrest.”

We now know.

They have been apart for the last five years.

Does that change anything or do we still bay for the Minister’s blood.

I certainly regret having challenged the Minister’s integrity and his capacity to lead Intelligence on the basis of reports about his wife’s connection to drug dealing.