1. POWER AND DISEMPOWERMENT:President Jacob Zuma's second Cabinet reshuffle this year may have claimed fewer casualties than the last, but reactions from its partner in the (severely strained) tripartite alliance -- the SACP -- and others across the political spectrum were no less damning.
Harsh words from the #SACP on President Jacob Zuma #CabinetReshuffle and remove of Blade Nzimande. This won't bode well for the alliance. pic.twitter.com/TT2aeyLX8q
— Amil Umraw (@Amil_Umraw) October 17, 2017
SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande may now be left out in the political cold after a bitter battle, but it was the appointment of former state security minister David Mahlobo as Ministry of Energy that EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema said really matters.
The president's 'right-hand man and confidante' may now be hastening the (perhaps not-so-long) march towards a country in bed with Russia and (disem)powered by nuclear.
2. MEMOIRS OF A GUPTA -- It's been a tough week to be a Gupta in South Africa, or even one of their alleged partners-in-(alleged)-crime, and the story keeps getting thicker.
The FBI is now investigating the Guptas' suspected underhanded links with American companies, and UK authorities aren't too far behind. Meanwhile, alleged Gupta-ally mining boss Mosebenzi Zwane was grilled in Parliament's inquiry into state capture on his relationship with the Guptas... and thereafter summoned back by the committee who said he had failed to answer some of their questions.
It is also speculated that President Jacob Zuma's son Duduzane and the Gupta brothers, Ajay and Atul, will also be called on to testify in the state capture probe. Other familiar names have entered the fray as committee members attempt to 'connect the dots' including former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe (and details of his multi-million rand pension payout).
On Friday, the committee chairperson was replaced and the inquiry was postponed, but if the notorious Black First Land First has its way, the whole inquiry into state capture would be shut down.
3. FEELING HACKED? -- A massive data breach potentially affecting some tens of millions of South Africans is being referred to as the biggest digital security threat in the country's history. Fresh analysis by the man behind the full investigation into the breach, Microsoft's expert Troy Hunt, has revealed that up to 29% of the hacked identity profiles discovered belonged to South African children and teens.
Personal information of people of all ages, however, remain at risk in a breach so severe, the Hawks announced it had opened an investigation.
If you have been hacked, or want to know how to protect yourself online, there are a few things you can do about it.
Here are other stories you can't miss from the week that was:
1. President Jacob Zuma has gone rogue. His Cabinet reshuffle announced today is neither rational nor logical. Instead, it is the mark of a late-term kleptocrat acting only in the interests of his own patronage network, writes Ferial Haffajee.
2. Speaking to HuffPost SA, sexologist Christa Coetzee said that there was no average number of rounds a man can manage in the sack. "It depends on a number of factors," she said. Read more to find out all the details.
3. Spur has remained tight-lipped about cancelling a panel that was expected to do an in-depth investigation into an alleged racist incident that happened at Texamo Spur at The Glen Shopping Centre earlier this year.
After numerous calls to Spur CEO Pierre Van Tonder and emails to the company's headquarters, the restaurant chain had by Thursday afternoon -- more than 48 hours after initially approached -- not responded to questions about the matter. Read more.
4. The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of SA (BCCSA) on Wednesday morning heard arguments about alleged racist on-air utterances by comedian and Jacaranda FM breakfast show co-host, Tumi Morake. Jacaranda FM's lawyer, Justine Limpitlaw, argued that Morake said nothing that could be regarded as hate speech. Read more.
5. If you watched the reality documentary series, "Minnie Dlamini: Becoming Mrs Jones" last Friday, congratulations, you are now part of history. On Thursday afternoon, Vuzu Amp announced that the first episode of the three-part series had broken records, officially becoming the highest-rated show in the history of the channel. Read more.
6. On Sunday, what would have been Fela Kuti's 79th birthday, the government and people of Lagos State celebrated with the unveiling of a Liberation Statue. Fela Kuti may be no more, but he his legendary music continues to speak to some of the political and societal issues that we continue to face. Read more on his life.