South Africa

Interesting write-up in the Sunday Times about the supposed cash difficulties Brett Kebble was facing. A good read...for me the most interesting parts in the story were the following paragraphs :

"There have been indications that with the drying up of the money with which he dispensed patronage, he was becoming tight-fisted in funding the lifestyles of his political connections"

"Industry leaders this week made it clear that Kebble was fast running out of powerful friends in the world of mining finance. Peter Flack, former executive chairman of Randgold & Exploration and Kebble’s one-time boss, said: “I knew him incredibly well — I was very fond of him at one stage — and then I chose not to know him at all; many, many other people have taken a similar view.”

 

Still no further information from the police about the killing. I also enjoyed the Editorial piece, which I believe was a little more honest (compared to other stories being circulated in the Media) about Kebble the man and his effect on the SA political and business landscape. Some quotable quotes :

"We will not, however, join in the cacophony of eulogies to a man who has been described by some as a patriot and a great South African. Even though convention requires that we speak well of the dead, we will not be part of a lie."

"Brett Kebble was not a good South African. He was the Great Corrupter, a dirty businessman who had little respect for the law or codes of good practice. He corrupted politicians and created a parasitical network of politically connected beneficiaries who affectionately called him “umlungu wethu” (our white man)."

"So today we say farewell to the Great Corrupter. May no more like you be born."

Heavy stuff...