Anger in S. Africa over legal fees of ex-president Zuma
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s government was facing growing questions over who should foot the legal bills of former president Jacob Zuma as he fights numerous allegations of corruption.
His successor President Cyril Ramaphosa appeared to endorse underwriting the mounting legal court costs of his erstwhile political master.
“The acts on the basis of which it is alleged that the former president committed criminal offences took place during his tenure as a government official both at provincial and later at national level,” wrote Ramaphosa in a letter to the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party.
Ramaphosa added that the government had forced Zuma to agree to pay back the legal aid if he was found to have “acted in his personal capacity and own interest in the commission of the alleged offences”.
Zuma resigned as president last month under pressure from his ruling African National Congress party in the wake of a slew of corruption scandals.
Last week it was announced that he would face prosecution on charges of corruption, fraud and money laundering for allegedly taking bribes over a multibillion rand arms deal signed in the 1990s.
Opposition parties have noisily opposed Ramaphosa’s agreement to bankroll Zuma’s defence, accusing the former head of state of being a “thief ” and a “criminal”.
The opposition DA said it would take the government to court to force it to back down.