Chaotic week ends in tempered post-Zuma optimism

[Daily Maverick] WEEKEND THING with JOHN STUPART Saturday, 17 February 2018 “He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart.” Chinua Achebe PICTURE OF THE WEEK By EPA-EFE/NASIEF MANIE President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa (C) arrives to deliver his (SONA) State of the Nation address at the Parliament, in Cape Town, South Africa, 16 February 2018. THIS WEEK'S WRAP-UP [Zuma's resignation sets forth chain reaction]( To say it has been an eventful week is a severe understatement. Speculation as to Jacob Zuma's employment status was rife up until Valentine's Day. Then, to the nation's astonishment, Zuma initially appeared on SABC giving a message of defiance, refusing to step down. But just before 11 pm on the same night he appeared once more, announcing to that nation that he was resigning. After so many years of decay within the state, Jacob Zuma's departure will be met with so few tears that they would not even be worth sending to Cape Town. [Gupta family targeted by Hawks]( As the sinking ship Zuma bubbled and boiled, the Hawks - unfettered by the harness of state capture - swooped down on a host of Gupta-owned properties, including the Saxonwold Shebeen. A brace of associates and one Gupta were arrested. Atul allegedly tried to fly out only to be halted by a reluctant charter pilot. Ajay is on the lam, and the whole bloated, corrupt carcass seems poised to explode. mailto:events@dailymaverick.co.za?subject=RSVP [De Lille lives to fight another day]( While the ANC was busy evicting their resident president, the DA was fighting their own political battles. This week saw Cape Town Mayor Patricia De Lille fend off a vote of no confidence, by a single ballot. The whole endeavour indeed showed the De Lille still has friends in the opposition and, for the DA, the first cracks on the party's surface widened significantly. [Morgan Tsvangirai's death leaves hole in opposition]( All was not karmic marmalade this week, however. Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai passed away in Johannesburg after a prolonged battle with cancer. Tsvangirai had set no real succession plan for the MDC-T in his aftermath, leaving a giant question mark hanging above a pre-election Zimbabwean opposition. FACT OF THE DAY The song “House of the Rising Sun" is actually an old folk song and has no known original creator. EDITOR'S PICKS [Trainspotter: Hasta la Vista, JZ]( By RICHARD POPLAK [Analysis: South Africa’s long nightmare is over]( By STEPHEN GROOTES [Newsflash: 'Die Hard' Patricia De Lille survives despite open ballot]( By MARELISE VAN DER MERWE [Analysis: Sascoc Inquiry scratches the surface of corruption, but misses transparency mark]( By ANTOINETTE MULLER — [Video of the week]( VIDEO OF THE WEEK [1957 5 in 1 Man MRE 24 Hr Ration 20,000 Calorie Meal Ready to Eat]( By Steve1989MREInfo IN OTHER NEWS Scientists have ruled on the funniest joke. Although it's not the funniest to everyone in the world, researchers determined it to be the funniest common denominator. Without further ado: “Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He’s not breathing and his eyes are glazed, so his friend calls 911. ‘My friend is dead! What should I do?’ The operator replies, ‘Calm down, sir. I can help. First make sure that he’s dead.’ There’s a silence, then a loud bang. Back on the phone, the guy says, ‘Ok, now what?’” mailto:events@dailymaverick.co.za?subject=RSVP [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2018 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Daily Maverick First Thing subscriber list. Keep up to date on all DM activities by [clicking here](. [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](