1. The thot plickens! Bulelani Ngcuka, the former National Prosecuting Authority head, is now accused of calling the shots — with businessmen Saki Macozoma — at the Congress of the People, leading to the “imposition” of Bishop Mvume Dandala as Cope’s presidential candidate, says a Cope member who has defected back to the ANC.

This comes after revelations that ANC President Jacob Zuma’s legal team have phone recordings of Ngcuka, Macozoma and former president Thabo Mbeki that they have presented to the National Prosecuting Authority. Read the full story at The Times.

2. Meanwhile, Business Day reports that Mbeki denies he meddled in the investigation into Zuma. Read the full story here.

3. And the Mail & Guardian is reporting that the NPA’s leaders are divided on whether the corruption and racketeering charges against Zuma should be dropped. An announcement is due early next week.

4. The M&G is also reporting that Cope is accusing Mlungisi Hlongwane, the defector responsible for the allegation that Ngcuka and Macozoma are Cope’s puppet masters, was an ANC mole all along and blames him for the party’s late start to their election campaign. Read the story here.

5. Back at The Times, suspended police chief Jackie Selebi is denying knowledge of the tapped phone calls of Ngcuka, Mbeki, Macozoma and former Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy. This after, says the paper, it has established that SAPS members were involved in the eavesdropping operation. Read the story here.

Shjoe! The war is getting dirty. They say a week in politics is a long time and next week’s going to be a cooker!

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