A Government of Bandits: The Ordeal of Power in a New South Africa

A Government of Bandits is a powerful, deeply researched narrative that unveils the dramatic rise and devastating decay of South Africa's democracy. From the euphoria of 1994 to the shadowy corridors of state capture, this book traces how a liberation movement with sacred ideals slowly transformed into a political elite consumed by greed, patronage, and impunity. Drawing on the lived experiences of characters like Miriam Mokoena, Sipho Dlamini, Anathi, Pulane Moloi, and former apartheid bureaucrats, this book weaves together political history, investigative storytelling, and emotional human drama. Each chapter exposes a different layer of the national decline—GEAR's quiet betrayal, the catastrophic AIDS denialism, the rise of tenderpreneurs, the Arms Deal, Polokwane, the Gupta empire, and the full machinery of state capture. With cinematic detail and fearless honesty, this is not just a history—it is a national reckoning. It answers the haunting question many South Africans silently ask: How did the saints of the struggle become the bandits of the state? Perfect for readers of political nonfiction, South African history, anti-corruption investigations, and anyone trying to understand how power is gained, abused, and lost.