The Devil Makes His Christmas Pie From Politicians' tongues and bankers' fingers

it's a year of having friends in all the right places, and proof that it's not just cream that rises to the top. New Year's Day begins on a sad note with the news of the death of Helen Suzman, Anti-Apartheid activist and politician. Later in the year, all charges against Jacob Zuma and French arms manufacturer, Thint, over the now infamous Arms deal are officially withdrawn, paving the way for Zuma to stand in this year's national and provincial elections.

The ANC wins comfortably, but also loses the Western Cape to the DA amidst much cheering and jeering, depending on whose shirt you wear. A month later Jacob Zuma is elected president of South Africa. 

In other news, South Africans now need visas to enter the United Kingdom because of corruption in Home Affairs and a diplomatic tit-for-tat. 'Terminally ill' convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik is released from prison on medical parole. 

In another unrelated visa story, the Dalai Lama's application to enter South Africa is refused and Gill Marcus is appointed Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, the first female to hold the position. Hot on the heels of the Dalai Lama's non-visit, Jacob Zuma meets with the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China, Hu Jintai, to deepen 'bilateral relations'. 

The meeting takes place on 22 September - interestingly the very same day the US Embassy and other US government facilities in South Africa are closed because of 'unspecified security concerns'.

In totally irrelevant news, the Miss World pageant takes place in Johannesburg.