Randolph "In the course of this discussion [Nicholson] changed the rules of the game, took his eyes off the ball and red-carded not only players but also spectators". Nicholson then overstepped his judicial authority by failing "to confine the judgement to the issues before the court; by deciding matters that were not germane or relevant; by creating new factual issues; by making gratuitous findings against persons who were not called upon to defend themselves; by failing to distinguish between allegation, fact and suspicion; and by transgressing the proper boundaries between judicial, executive and legislative functions."
In a nutshell, the ANC fired the State President of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, because of something Judge Nicholson wrote a few months ago about Jacob Zuma's corruption charges. Of course it's too late now to ask Kgalema Motlanthe to step down in favour of giving Mbeki his job back, and with elections so close, it would be pointless.
(Aside: Plus, Mbeki is a wimp, and doesn't believe that HIV causes AIDS, in a country where too many people are dying from this disease. Thanks for getting rid of him and the Manto. Poison Ivy next!)
The whole thing is ridiculous, especially when you consider that Judge Nicholson based his report on media speculation, that Mbeki was influencing the Zuma corruption charges politically. Media speculation. I support the Supreme Court of Appeals in this case (no pun intended). We're the laughing stock of the first world.
The bottom line, of course, is that Zuma may be re-charged with corruption, going back to the arms deal debacle from years ago. If the elections go ahead before then, and the ANC decide to put Zuma in as president, do you think he'll ever have his day in court?
So, instead of "d'oh!", perhaps "meh!" is more appropriate. Welcome to South Africa, where Mugabe our closest neighbour is a war criminal, etc., etc.