I did not trick Zuma accuser – Mkhize

Zweli insists he never encouraged Khwezi to drop rape charge

ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize denies ever undermining Fezekile “Khwezi” Kuzwayo’s right to legal recourse in her alleged rape case against President Jacob Zuma.

Mkhize said this in response to an article in City Press yesterday accusing him of misleading Kuzwayo into dropping charges against Zuma.

“In 2005‚ I was called by President Zuma who advised me that he had made a terrible mistake of having sexual relations with Fezeka [Fezekile]. I was shocked by this because I had always been under the impression that Fezeka was like a daughter to both of us,” he said.

“The reason why I believe the president said this was a mistake‚ is because he knew that I would never have expected him to engage in that kind of a relationship with someone we both regarded as a daughter.”

In his effort to “help” the Kuzwayo family‚ he‚ her mother‚ Beauty Kuzwayo‚ and a family friend whom they lived with in exile asked Khwezi for a meeting‚ but she declined the meeting.

Mkhize said he telephoned her and “whilst on the phone with her she told me that she was raped”.

Mkhize admitted to seeking legal representation for the Kuzwayo family following this, but denied having any influence on legal advice.

“I requested friends based in Gauteng to refer me to a Johannesburgbased lawyer who would assist my family on an urgent legal matter,” Mkhize said.

“I was given Mr Yusuf Docrat’s contacts. I must clarify that before this incident‚ I had never had any dealings with Mr Docrat.

“At no point was the lawyer instructed to advise Fezeka to drop the charges.

“In all that I did, it was never my intention to let her down.”

Mkhize said that after seeking legal representation for the family, the matter became legal and he avoided contact with the family as he wanted to avoid interference in the case.

“Sis Beauty left for Johannesburg. A few days later‚ she contacted me to inform me that she was going to return to Durban to collect more of her clothing items as she needed to be with her daughter,” Mkhize said

“She also informed me that she might no longer be available on her phone going forward because they were now dealing with police.”

He said broadcaster Redi Thlabi did not afford him an opportunity to respond to allegations of his involvement in the case as detailed in her newly released book: Khwezi – The Remarkable Story of Fezekile Ntsukela Kuzwayo

In the City Press article‚ the late Kuzwayo was quoted as having said Mkhize advised her to drop the charges.

“After taking the story‚ he [the lawyer] then proceeded to talk about the case and the pros and cons of going on with the case‚” Kuzwayo was quoted as saying.

“Initially‚ he seemed to be objective and just talking and helpful‚ and then‚ towards the end of the conversation‚ he clearly said he was advising I should drop the charges‚ and when we finished talking‚ it was clear that I said to him that I was not dropping the charges.

“He then just said that Malume Zweli would be surprised at the outcome of the meeting.

“Malume Zweli sounded so genuine‚ so it was easy to trust him. He also‚ at some point‚ came to see ma‚ to see if she was coping,” Kuzwayo was quoted as saying.

Kuzwayo, who died in October, suffered a public backlash after she accused the president of rape in 2005. Zuma was acquitted of the charge in 2006.

Earlier this week, the Sowetan newspaper reported that the book revealed that the president had allegedly forced himself on a journalist on the false pretext of showing her something in his Forest Town home.