Isabel dos Santos is Africa’s richest woman; her wealth is estimated to be $2bn. She lived an extravagant life as a “self-made woman” that meant she rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous of the world. But the Dos Santos empire fell and as her family no longer held the strings of power, the new President João Lourenço accused them of corruption, nepotism, flattery and impunity and declared the Dos Santos family to be “enemy number one”. Isabel dos Santos who was at the helm of the state oil company Sonangol, became the subject of a criminal investigation. And as things were starting to become uncomfortable for her, she left for Dubai. There appears to be a template for people like Dos Santos and the Guptas who manage to extract the wealth of an African country. Rule 1 – you have to know Comrade One or the Big Induna very well or he/she has to be in your pocket. Isabel dos Santos was a family member. Rule 2 – Western companies and the same names often prop up; McKinsey, the audit giants and in the case of Dos Santos; Boston Consulting Group that facilitated their efforts. Rule 3 – you have to know somebody to move your loot through shell companies and get help at an airport to make sure you escape. Rule 4 – Somebody decides to leak documents; in the case of Dos Santos it was the Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa that gave documents called the Luanda Leaks to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). The ICIJ was also responsible for the Panama Papers. Rule 5 – When the corruption finally comes to light – you dismiss the allegations as “politically motivated” or use illness as an excuse so you don’t have to answer to allegations. Rule 6– Make sure there is a place to escape to where nobody can get to you; it is Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. - Linda van Tilburg
