The Flight of Jacob Zuma

[Lavenderdame]

04:13 SAST (UTC+2) - NKANDLA HOMESTEAD, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Under the cover of night, disgraced South African politician Jacob Zuma readies his bags and makes preparations to flee the country. After receiving court summons and being indicted on over 700 corruption charges, many surrounding the use of public funds to build over 200,000,000 Rand's worth of improvements to his family compound. In silence he gathers his belongings; his fine suits, ties, pairs of shoes while his staff prepare the essentials: food, water, medicine, blankets for the trip over the border. His flight from the country will leave behind 20 children, ranging from 5 to 35 years old and his four living wives who say their tearful goodbyes as his motorcade drives off.

The three unmarked cars make their way north to the neighboring Kingdom of Swaziland where Jacob plans to seek asylum status. A three-and-a-half hour driver and a hefty bribe to the SANDF officers responsible for patrolling the border later, Jacob Zuma sit on the precipice of a life in exile, on the run from justice. In Swaziland, Jacob Zuma presents his case to world governments, looking for anyone to take his case and provide him asylum status. He claims that the charges brought against him are nothing but short of an attack on himself and his party, the African National Congress, by the now-ruling Economic Freedom Fighters.

 

[NagandEmerald]

The Federal Government of the German Reich, not wishing to get involved with politics in Africa. They came out with an official statement on the matter, stating, "We cannot, in good conscience, get involved with the African continent, especially in regards to rebellions. We are not world police." Therefore, the request was ignored, excluding by one Wolfgang Shröder, who sent a private correspondence to the embassy stating that he would try and organize a plane that could get to Swaziland from Munich.

 

[Retroliser]

@Lavenderdame
To: Jacob Zuma
Cc:
From: Bagir Ulas

---

Subject: Asylum

---

ENCRYPTED/SECRET/PRIVATE
​

Dear sir,

I am a representative of individuals who have the power to provide you with a place of safety within Turkey. We are more than ready to dispatch a trio of men who will be able to escort and protect you. All that is required is your acceptance, and a location we can use to meet you. We request that you do not inform anyone of this, or any subsequent, communications. If you do, we will be unable to help you.

Yours faithfully,
Bagir Ulas

 

[Lavenderdame]

After giving it some thought and debating the pros and cons with his entourage, Jacob Zuma would privately accept the Turkish offer. With the German government officially refusing his asylum claim, and Wolfgang Shröder being a known neo-Nazi, the Ottomans seem like the safer bet. He would privately reply.

To: Bagir Ulas @Retroliser
Cc:
From: Jacob Zuma
Subject: RE: Asylum

ENCRYPTED/SECRET/PRIVATE

Mr. Ulas,

Thank you for hearing my plea. I am currently staying at the Royal Villas Hotel in Eswatini; I can meet you at the hotel pool when you arrive.

May God bless you,
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma

 

[Retroliser]

@Lavenderdame
To: Jacob Zuma
Cc:
From: Bagir Ulas

---

Subject: Asylum

---

ENCRYPTED/SECRET/PRIVATE
​

Dear sir,

We thank you for your swift reply. By the time you receive this email, the trio of close protection specialists mentioned in our initial correspondence will be on their way to eSwatini, and will arrive within 24 hours. They will be bringing the necessary documentation to allow you to gain entry to Turkey under an assumed name. We trust that you understand that it will be in your best interests to, in effect, 'disappear' from the radar of those interested in exploiting your vulnerability for political gain, and the new administration within South Africa.

Yours faithfully,
Bagir Ulas

---

"United Arab Emirates Flight to Dubai is now boarding, please queue in an orderly fashion, and ensure your papers are in order before embarking."

Three men glanced at each other before standing up and joining the line that began to form at the gate. The cover story they had all agreed in private was that they were a trio of friends heading to eSwatini to explore the tiny, land-locked country as a matter of curiosity. Unfortunately, their tickets to the aforementioned tiny nation involved a trip involving two stops. One to Dubai from Istanbul, followed by another in South Africa, before flying to eSwatini. However, a job was a job.

Upon arrival, they retrieved their luggage and caught a taxi to The Royal Villas Hotel, where they had booked a room for the three to share, so that they were keeping up the story that they were not affluent, just average tourists. Once they were all settled in, they changed into more suitable clothing for the hot weather and ventured out to the poolside. Once they had found a table near the pool and ordered some drinks, they swiftly, but discreetly, scanned the rest of the people utilising the hotel pool in search of their target.

 

[Retroliser]

@Lavenderdame

 

[Lavenderdame]

Jacob Zuma would be found lounging under a private cabana on the poolside, relaxing in his shorts and polo and wearing wireframe sunglasses. He's not exactly keeping a low cover as he drinks from an old fashioned glass. Upon seeing the Turks he'll wave them over.

"Gentlemen, can I offer you a drink?" He says as he gestures to a half-empty bottle of fine brandy.

 

[Retroliser]

@Lavenderdame
Two of the Turks ignored Zuma and continued to watch over the area from their table, while the third accepted the offer and approached the former president. Once inside the cabana, he sat down next to him.

"You're a brave man," He remarked quietly, while keeping an eye out over the crowd outside the wooden hut. "If I were in your shoes, I would be trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Regardless, I and my two colleagues are here to get you out of eSwatini. All flights out of eSwatini stop at South Africa's Tambor airport, so it would be suicide to leave here by plane. We will cross the border into Mozambique instead, then catch a commercial flight from Maputo airport to Istanbul, with one stop in Ethiopia. Any questions?"

 

[Lavenderdame]

Zuma chuckles, "Very well then, it sounds like you have it all figured out. My life is in your capable hands. I trust that my entourage will be allowed to accompany me?'

 

[Retroliser]

@Lavenderdame
"That depends on how large it is," He murmured. "The last thing we need is for a massive crowd heading through Mozambique saying 'this TOTALLY isn't Jacob Zuma... Honest'. However, I can try and have arrangements made for them, but they'll have to wait. I was tasked with evacuating you, and you alone, whether any of your entourage can accompany you into exile is a matter for a higher power to decide."

 

[Lavenderdame]

@Retroliser
"Do not worry so much, my entourage is a little more discreet than you might think. Let's make the arrangements before we leave. What's a few more days? Hm?"

 

[Retroliser]

@Lavenderdame
"A few more days is possibly what South Africa need to find you, and take you back for trial," The Turk mused. "A few days might mean the end of everything for you, especially your liberty."

 

[Lavenderdame]

@Retroliser
"You worry too much. A few more days won't be the end of anything as long as I have my capable Turkish friends by my side. Unless you'd rather go back to your boss alone, hm?"

 

[Retroliser]

@Lavenderdame
"I'd rather I don't have to see you extradited and taken back to South Africa in handcuffs," He replied quietly. "Regardless, I'll see what I can do. How many people are in your entourage?"

 

[Lavenderdame]

Jacob Zuma's face hardens and then he breaks into a laugh, "Ten, but I can settle for my best four men. At least to start."

 

[Retroliser]

After nodding in acknowledgement, he stood up.

"I'll make some calls," He said. "Oh, my name's Simsek Toprak. Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner."

 

[Retroliser]

@Lavenderdame
A few days later, Simsek quietly approached Zuma and sat down beside him, while he was sat by the pool in his cabana.

"I've made some calls, sir," He said, while scanning the pool, its occupants, and those around it. "I can get all ten of your entourage out, however, to avoid suspicion, they will have to take separate flights. If we were to all take the same flight, it would definitely be suspicious."

 

[Lavenderdame]

"Agreed, thank you Mister Toprak. So, when are we leaving?"
@Retroliser

 

[Retroliser]

@Lavenderdame
"Tonight," He replied. "You, and one of my colleagues, will be heading across the border to Mozambique, followed by taking a flight out to Istanbul via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. You'll be heading there under an assumed identity, for obvious reasons."

The Turk retrieved an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Zuma. The contents were a South African passport, a Turkish entry permit and an entry ticket allowing entry on the 28th of May.

​

"These papers should be able to get you into Turkey. Once you're in, we'll be able to make you disappear into the population. The only way you'll be found is if you allow yourself to be."

 

[Lavenderdame]

Zuma takes the documents and stores them on the interior pockets of his suit jacket. "Thank you for this, Mr. Toprak. I will see you in Turkey, make sure to visit and accept that drink I offered you."