JACQUES PAUW'S BOOK COULD BE A HIT LIST, STARTING WITH GEORGE DARMANOVICH

When Jacques Pauw's book, The President's Keepers, hit shelves, we knew it was extremely controversial with the government trying to put a stop to the many alleged truths that were uncovered. But, perhaps, this only scratched the surface of the controversy that leads down a much darker and more dangerous path than we anticipated. A state security contract agent in Serbia, who was a source in Pauw's book, and whose name also cropped up in the extortion case centring around suspected underworld figure, Nafiz Modack, has been murdered in Serbia.

Gorgija Gorg Darmanovic (George Darmanovich) was shot in the head while in New Belgrade, dying later in hospital. It is reported that this incident may have links to organised crime in South Africa. The shooters fired four times at Darmanovich and fled the scene on a motorbike or scooter.

In January in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, during Modack’s bail application in a corruption case, Charl Kinnear, a police colonel who is investigating fights in clubs, testified: "The person Modack phoned in Serbia is the same person who gave information for the first few chapters of The President's Keepers. This shows the relationships (Modack) has with people in the South African government."

Darmanovic was known as "The Butcher" or "The Devil" to his contacts in the underworld and in intelligence circles. Darmanovich was a key player and was incredibly well connected, despite living in Serbia for the past four years. Currently, none of the South African authorities are commenting on the incident.

This incident brings up bigger questions on whether the people who contributed to Pauw's book, giving more information than certain figures would have liked, are guaranteed their safety. Does this mean that anyone who was seen as "too involved" with Pauw, stand the risk of being taken out?

Could The President's Keepers be used as a hit list to take out those who chose to speak out about the injustices happening in the country? A dangerous theory but a worrying one nonetheless!