Zuma takes it to the brink, but meets deadline
• Deadline for submission of reasons not to be charged for fraud passes as pressure mounts on Zuma from all over
Wednesday was D-Day for President Jacob Zuma, who had until the end of the day to submit representations on why he should not be prosecuted in an almost decade-old fraud and corruption case against him. Zuma submitted his representations late on Wednesday evening on the so-called Spy Tapes controversy, according to News24.
Wednesday was D-Day for President Jacob Zuma, who had until the end of the day to submit representations on why he should not be prosecuted in an almost decade-old fraud and corruption case against him.
Zuma submitted his representations late on Wednesday evening on the so-called Spy Tapes controversy, according to News24.
There is mounting political pressure on ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa, from inside and outside his party, to remove Zuma from office.
Opposition political parties called on Wednesday for a postponement of next week’s state of the nation address, saying that Zuma was not fit to deliver it.
The address is an important annual political event in which the president sets out the government’s agenda for the year.
The EFF said on Wednesday it would launch another motion of no confidence in Zuma before the February 8 address.
Zuma has shrugged off seven motions of no confidence, courtesy of the ANC majority in Parliament, but it is thought unlikely he can survive another one.
Zuma is set to face a fierce battle in the looming statecapture inquiry.
He has not yet promulgated the regulations needed for the inquiry, headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, to begin its work.
The DA has written to National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams, asking him for a copy of Zuma’s submission.
“The DA is entitled to Zuma’s full submission as the main litigant in this case, which has dragged on for almost a decade and cost South Africans an estimated R30m or more in legal fees,” said DA federal executive chairman James Selfe.
“The DA will engage thoroughly with the contents and continue to ensure that Zuma has his day in court — like any other citizen faced with the same charges would.” In a letter from its lawyers, the DA asked Abrahams to give the party 14 calendar days to comment on Zuma’s representations. The party has made representations to the NPA.
Controversial Kwa Zulu Natal public prosecutions director Moipone Noko leads the NPA team that will consider Zuma’s representations. Noko and her team will make recommendations to Abrahams on whether Zuma should face charges.
In October last year, after an 11th-hour concession by Zuma’s lawyers, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed a bid by the president and the NPA to overturn a judgment by the High Court in Pretoria.
The court found that the 2009 decision to drop charges against Zuma was irrational and charges should be reinstated.
The NPA originally gave Zuma until November 30 to make fresh representations, but extended the deadline after his lawyers wrote to Abrahams, saying that they could not make the cut-off date.
Zuma first tried to extend the deadline to February, but Abrahams settled on January 31 and said there would be no further extensions.
Abrahams’s future is also on the line after the High Court in Pretoria in December reviewed and set aside his appointment.
The court found that Zuma was too conflicted to appoint a new prosecutions chief and that the appointment should be made by the deputy president.
Zuma, the NPA and Abrahams are appealing in the Constitutional Court against the ruling. The appeal papers submitted by Zuma and the NPA had a letter attached in which the prosecuting authority informed Zuma’s lawyers that all 218 people on the witness list were available.
After another hearing, Abrahams has been instructed to give the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution two weeks’ notice before he makes any ruling on Zuma’s possible prosecution.
This would give the council time to seek relief before Abrahams announces his decision.