Madonsela is also looking at the case of co-operative government Minister Sicelo Shiceka, who’s been suspended following allegations of profligate spending of public funds and using his official budget to visit a girlfriend serving a prison sentence in Switzerland for drug trafficking.

But perhaps the weightiest matter is finalising the terms of reference for the commission of inquiry into an arms deal carried out more than a decade ago.

Those convicted of corruptly benefiting from include Zuma’s former financial backer Shabir Shaik.

Politically, Zuma has to deal with perceptions that any decisive action he takes has more to do with pursuing what’s best for the country, than shoring up his possible personal ambitions for a second term as party leader.