Many ‘populists’ are known for taking liberties with the public purse, or worse. They are often caught, but rarely punished. In the most serious cases, they have tended to be sent into exile (a convenient solution to a messy problem) rather than locked up at home.
At a moment when several such populists have lost, or are expected to lose, power, their separate fates will likely become a subject for comparison. So one should watch what happens to Mr Zuma. It may be impolitic to state the obvious, but South Africa is rather well known for the rejuvenating quality of its prisons when it comes to political reputations, for saints and sinners alike.
Perhaps it would be wise now to set a different precedent.
Note to readers: Talleyrand is again grateful for receiving such lively correspondence, has corrected one or two factual errors, and wishes that no person, no matter how abject, meets the fate of the duc d’Enghien.