Western Cape premier Ebrahim Rasool’s days are numbered. Either the African National Congress’s (ANC) national leadership will give him a lifeline of another 13 months in office or, if the regional ANC leadership has its way, he could be out within the next few weeks.

The police version of events surrounding the arrest of Scorpions investigator Ivor Powell appears increasingly questionable, as evidence mounts suggesting a planned operation against him, and of links to the wider battle over the future of the unit.

The cut-and-thrust of courtroom argument has spilled over into the corridors of power manned by South Africa’s legal fraternity. The fall out around the Judicial Service Commission’s decision not to impeach Cape Judge President John Hlophe has exposed simmering racial tensions and other divisions among lawyers, advocates and judges.

A series of critical challenges looms for the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) as the embattled organisation prepares to re-charge presidential hopeful Jacob Zuma. The Mail & Guardian has established that the Zuma prosecution team has prepared a revised indictment in the light of last week’s Supreme Court of Appeal decision ruling on the legality of the searches of Zuma and his likely co-accused, the French Thint group.

New information has emerged which flatly contradicts the presidency’s denial that President Thabo Mbeki acted to shield police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi by suspending National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli. Information obtained by the Mail & Guardian shows that Pikoli’s suspension marked the beginning of a scramble to protect Selebi.

At 3.30pm on Tuesday, President Thabo Mbeki did what he has been trying to for a long time. He began the process of firing deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge. Summoned to the Union Buildings on Tuesday afternoon in Pretoria, Madlala-Routledge was asked to resign.

Cape Judge President John Hlophe may have violated South Africa’s anti-corruption laws by taking payments from financial services firm Oasis. Two senior advocates and four other legal professionals told the Mail & Guardian that Hlophe may be vulnerable to prosecution under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.

The highly regarded head of the government’s Aids unit, Nomonde Xundu, resigned but withdrew her notice pending negotiations with the health department’s director-general Thami Mseleku. Four sources within government and civil society confirmed independently that Xundu was on her way out.