Zuma says it is his job to select judge for probe
President Jacob Zuma has asked the High Court in Pretoria to set aside a report by the public protector on state capture, saying he would set up a commission of inquiry into the allegations.
The court has been hearing a case brought by Zuma, who challenged the right of former public protector Thuli Madonsela to call for a judicial inquiry to investigate the allegations.
Madonsela recommended that he set up the commission, which would be headed by a retired judge selected by the chief justice. She said this was because the president was conflicted in the matter as his son Duduzane and his friends the Gupta family were at the centre of the investigation.
Zuma said setting up such an inquiry and selecting the judge to head it was his prerogative.
Madonsela’s report recommended a judicial investigation into allegations of systemic corruption by Zuma, some of his ministers and heads of stateowned companies.
In additional arguments, Zuma’s lawyers argued that the entire report by Madonsela should be set aside. Should the court grant his application, he would set up a separate commission of inquiry within 30 days of the date of the order, his lawyers said.
He did not give specifics about what type of commission he would institute and what the terms would be if it was to be a judicial commission of inquiry.
Respondents in the review application, which include the DA, the EFF, the United Democratic Movement and the Congress of the People, had until last week to file additional argument after Zuma abandoned a major part of the relief he sought to have the current public protector continue with the investigation.
Lawson Naidoo, executive secretary of the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution, which is also a respondent, said it was “untenable” that the president would seek costs from the respondents after he dropped the relief at such a late stage in the proceedings.