--- title: "While you were sleeping: 20 March 2018" description: "Tom Moyane given the axe, Cambridge Analytica denies wrongdoing, and Abbas has an angry Monday." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "South Africa" author: "John Stupart" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/johnstupart/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-03-20-while-you-were-sleeping-20-march-2018/" published: "2018-03-20T06:01:43" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 716 --- # While you were sleeping: 20 March 2018 > Tom Moyane given the axe, Cambridge Analytica denies wrongdoing, and Abbas has an angry Monday. By John Stupart · Published 20 March 2018, 08:01 SAST ## Content **Tuesday, 20 March 2018** *“One seldom recognises the devil when he is putting his hand on your shoulder.”* **Albert Speer** ![Image](https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/d/B1/835/6B5/csimport/849x493q70Tham-Moyane-end-of-the-road1.051154.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [SARS Wars: End of the road for Tom Moyane, one of State Capture’s most loyal foot soldiers](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-p/) By MARIANNE THAMM. The suspension by President Cyril Ramaphosa of SARS Commissioner Tom Moyane on Monday night brings to an end a 42-months’ long reign of terror which not only saw the haemorrhaging of skilled staff and the relentless persecution of senior executives, including former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, but also the reduction of the once-formidable revenue service to a hollow shell. Under Moyane, one of Jacob Zuma’s most loyal pawns, SARS became a key and vital player of the State Capture project. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [Cambridge Analytica denies misuse of data](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-x/) Donald Trump's campaign communications firm, Cambridge Analytica, has "strongly denied" any wrongdoing over allegations that it harvested 50-million users' Facebook details. The company stated that it had not used the data for Trump's campaign. Apparently harvesting user data for nefarious communications purposes is just peachy if it is not to Trump's advantage. [Facebook in firing line for data breach](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-m/) Cambridge Analytica are not the only ones in hot water over the abuse of Facebook's data. The social media giant itself has become the focus of American policymaker's ire as well. Both Democrat and Republication senators called for Facebook's CEO Mark Zuckerburg to appear before Congress and explain the lack of oversight on some of the most valuable caches of user data in existence. Zuckerberg, being wealthier than God, is probably not too fussed. [Abbas blames Hamas for attack, lashes out at US ambassador](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-c/) President Mahmud Abbas has had a busy Monday. Responding to a bomb attack against prime minister Rami Hamdallah last week, Abbas blamed Hamas for the act. Hamas, in turn, claimed responsibility, leading to new possible sanctions against the militant group. Meanwhile, Abbas lashed out at US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman as a "son of dog". Abbas had been referring to Friedman's track record of being pro-settlement expansion. Friedman in response told Abbas to "choose between hate and peace". [Sickness in the air loves thy neighbour](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-q/) Air travel is a sure-fire way to test your immune system at the best of times, but just where are you least likely to get sick? An American study has published its findings, explaining that people flying with contagions are most likely to infect those seated next to them or in an adjacent row. That five-year-old hooting like a gibbon in front of you who looks back and sneezes in your eyeballs? Yup, science officially says you're getting sick from that. — IN NUMBERS 20h15m The duration of the longest recorded chess tournament match. FACTS OF THE DAY Today is **World Sparrow Day**. Not to be confused with the Westerosi network of informers. **A Taphophile** is someone obsessed with graveyards. FEATURED ARTICLES ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Tham-Moyane-end-of-the-road.jpg) [SARS Wars: End of the road for Tom Moyane, one of State Capture’s most loyal foot soldiers](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-v/) BY MARIANNE THAMM ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Greg-Families-of-Life-Esidimeni.jpg) [Life Esidimeni families: How shared, collective pain created a community](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-s/) BY GREG NICOLSON ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70ThammKPMGupdate.jpg) [#GuptaLeaks Collateral Damage: KPMG SA makes a bold attempt at clawing itself out of an ethical hole](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-w/) BY MARIANNE THAMM ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70rebecca-miningcharterMantashe.jpg) [Mining Charter: New Minister, old approach?](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-yh/) BY REBECCA DAVIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Carien-on-African-Trade-Agreement.jpg) [Africa: A dream of a continental free trade area deferred](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-yu/) BY CARIEN DU PLESSIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70dirk-devos-renewables.jpg) [Op-Ed: The coming renewable energy transition](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-jr/) BY DIRK DE VOS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Raymond-Suttner-new\(5\).jpg) [Op-Ed: Pit toilet school deaths and human dignity](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-jj/) BY RAYMOND SUTTNER ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70pinnock-lionMAIN.jpg) [Born Free Foundation: SA support for lion bones trade is damaging its image](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-ji/) BY DON PINNOCK ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Season-8-Episode-43b.jpg) [Street Talk: Boyhood/Ganghood (Video)](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-jh/) BY STREET TALK OPINIONISTAS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70562c5ffb4076dfd1ddee1be88f4bf94a.jpg) [Property rights are crucial to land reform](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-ju/) A column by IVO VEGTER ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Ian-von-Memerty-new.jpg) [The most important news this year did not get a headline](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-oikiuul-l-tr/) A column by IAN VON MEMERTY — **Weather** BFN: min: 15° max 28°, sunny CPT: min: 15° max: 18°, cloudy DBN: min: 22° max: 27°, cloudy JHB: min: 14° max: 24°, cloudy KIM: min: 16° max: 30°, cloudy MHK: min: 17° max: 30°, cloudy NLP: min: 16° max: 25°, cloudy PE: min: 13° max: 26°, cloudy PMB: min: 17° max: 31°, cloudy PTA: min: 16° max: 27°, cloudy **Financial Data** Oil=$66.20 Gold=$1,317.86 Platinum=$953.70 R/$=12.04 R/€=14.86 R/£=16.91 BTC/$=8,716 JSE All Share=58,088.42 DJIA=24,538.45 FTSE 100=7,042.93 123