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Seriously...

Poison: Episode 4 - The Russian Antidote

Seriously...

BBC

Documentary, Society & Culture

4.1885 Ratings

🗓️ 27 September 2021

⏱️ 15 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

When South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma, falls ill from what he suspects to be poison, he flies to Moscow for treatment. But why the need to go abroad? The implication is that Zuma believes Western spy agencies are trying to kill him. But is he now using the Russians, or are they using him for their own strategic purposes?

'Poison' is the story of one man's toxic obsession and the battle for South Africa's future.

Presenter: Andrew Harding Producer: Vauldi Carelse Sound mix: James Beard Series editor: Bridget Harney

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This was an impregnable fortress. The only way you get out was in a wooden box.

0:05.0

The controversial maximum security prison impossible to escape from.

0:09.0

And one of the duties of a political prisoner is the escape.

0:12.0

The IRA inmates who found a way. of a political prisoner is the escape.

0:12.5

The IRA inmates who found a way.

0:14.5

I'm Carlo Gableer and I'll be navigating a path

0:19.5

through the disturbing inside story of the biggest jailbreak in British and Irish history.

0:25.0

The narrative that they want is that this is a big achievement by them.

0:28.5

Escape from the maze, listen first on BBC Sounds.

0:35.0

BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.

0:39.0

Hi, I'm Andrew Harding and this is seriously from BBC Radio 4. In episode 4 of poison, why are so

0:46.6

many South African politicians claiming to have been poisoned and why are they going abroad for treatment?

0:54.0

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma believes he's been poisoned repeatedly.

1:02.0

He's even accused one of his wives saying poisoned repeatedly.

1:02.6

He's even accused one of his wives saying she spiked his tea on behalf of a foreign intelligence organization.

1:09.8

If they want to undermine a country, they use the citizens of those countries.

1:15.9

In other words, they buy them, they recruit them.

1:19.4

But if you no longer trust those closest to you, where can he turn?

1:24.0

Jacob Zuma believes that he would have died without the help of the Russians.

1:29.0

Outside Moscow, there is a facility which is second to none in terms of the treatment.

1:36.1

For Poisson.

1:39.3

Welcome back to poison. In this episode, the Russian antidote.

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