Focus to fall on Zuma’s court sagas
The aftermath of last week’s convulsions in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng will continue to dominate political discourse this week as communities undertake cleanup operations, the hunt for the instigators continues and explanations are sought for the causes of the rampant plunder and violence that took place.
Thousands of people are without jobs, food is hard to come by and the cost of the damage of what is now considered an insurrection runs into tens of billions of rand.
The corruption trial of former president Jacob Zuma and French arms manufacturer Thales will sit virtually in the Pietermaritzburg high court on Monday, though Zuma’s lawyers will try to get it postponed on the grounds that a virtual hearing with Zuma in prison will compromise his right to a fair trial.
Judge Piet Koen will adjudicate on Zuma’s application to have the lead prosecutor, Billy Downer, recused on the grounds that he has displayed bias against him.
It has taken the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) about 16 years to get Zuma to court after charges were first laid in 2005. Zuma is charged with, and has pleaded not guilty to, charges of bribery, fraud, racketeering and moneylaundering related to the multibillion-rand arms deal.
There is also much anticipation for the Constitutional Court judgment on Zuma’s application to have his 15-month jail sentence for contempt of court rescinded. It was the jailing of Zuma that was the initial spark for the unrest.
Zuma has applied to the prison authorities for leave to attend the funeral of his brother, Michael, which is expected to take place on Thursday.
Monday is the start of a formal inquest launched by the NPA into the Life Esidimeni tragedy. It involved the deaths of 144 people who were among about 1,500 mentally ill patients transferred by the Gauteng health department from the Life Esidimeni psychiatric hospital to hospitals and nongovernment organisations in 2015. The inquest will determine whether anyone is criminally liable for the deaths.
On Wednesday former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke will release his report into the viability of holding local government elections — scheduled for October 27 — in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
Moseneke was appointed by the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) as arbitrator. Political parties such as the ANC and DA have argued that the elections must go ahead, but health experts have advised against it.
On Tuesday the first meeting of parliament’s section 194 inquiry into the fitness of public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to hold office will be held to elect a chair. A multiparty committee has been appointed to probe the issue after an independent review panel found there was prima facie evidence that she should be removed from office. Mkhwebane has been on the receiving end of a series of adverse findings by the courts on her competence, independence and understanding of the law.
There is a strong likelihood the ANC will put forward the name of its deputy chief whip, Doris Dlakude, but the DA will propose that an opposition party MP take up the position to prevent the process being perceived as a whitewash.
On Wednesday the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority will brief parliament’s health committee on the Covid-19 vaccine pipeline and its findings and data related to vaccines. Acting minister of health Mmamoloko Kubayi will give an update on the vaccine rollout programme and the virus variants active in SA.