Perhaps it’s the pressure, the late nights, the general worry. I’ve been trying to explain to myself why finance minister and former Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni would have a go at me on Twitter deep into the night on June 18.

He had taken offence at what he implied was the increasing use, by myself, of the word “ludicrous” when referring to aspects of ANC policy or strategy or its actions or the lack of them...