Johnnic Communications (Johncom) chair Mashudu Ramano has emerged as a key behind-the-scenes supporter of the multibillion-rand takover bid by people connected to President Thabo Mbeki. The bid has provoked a storm of protest over its implications for media independence.

Two of the key figures in the genesis of the arms-deal scandal — Patricia de Lille and Andrew Feinstein — went public again this week, fanning the embers of a corruption storm that has been smouldering for nine years. Feinstein, the former African National Congress leader of Parliament’s public accounts watchdog Scopa, resigned when the party moved to curtail investigations into the arms deal.

Police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi allegedly tipped off his friend, Glenn Agliotti, about a British drugs probe involving him. The allegation, in a statement by former Agliotti associate Clinton Nassif, sheds new light on the defeating the ends of justice charge the Scorpions wanted to bring against Selebi.

President Thabo Mbeki’s attack on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the fight-back campaign by Jackie Selebi are threatening to derail the Scorpions’ investigation of the police national commissioner and his alleged links with organised crime.

A German request for help in investigating bribery in the arms deal — a political hot potato that will again test the independence of the criminal justice system — has reached South Africa. A justice ministry spokesperson said he could not confirm receipt of the request for mutual legal assistance, a formal document regulated by diplomatic protocol.

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.

A concerned bidder has blown the whistle on other tenders awarded to controversial security firm African Strategic Asset Protection (Asap) in the wake of the Mail & Guardian exposé last month. Mike Smiles, managing director of security technology company Masc Solutions, released correspondence he had directed to the KwaZulu-Natal department of public works both prior to and following the M&G story.

The Spear of the Nation — Umkhonto weSizwe — is emerging as a potent weapon in the battle for the hearts and minds of delegates to the ANC’s national conference in December. And the backing of MK veterans could be the ace up Jacob Zuma’s sleeve in his bid for the party presidency.

What’s in the top-secret report that former spy boss Billy Masetlha finally got his hands on this week? The National Intelligence Agency will not say what is in the report. Through the state prosecutor, the agency opposed Masetlha’s request for access to the document to support his defence against a fraud charge.