Zondo will not negotiate dates with witnesses, including Jacob Zuma
Deputy chief Justice Raymond Zondo has taken a hardline approach to requests by former president Jacob Zuma’s lawyers that the inquiry into state capture “negotiate dates” with him for his next appearance.
Zondo said on Monday morning he expected Zuma to appear before him from November 16 to 20.
“We will not negotiate dates with witnesses,” Zondo, the inquiry’s chair, said after noting that the commission’s lawyers would apply on October 9 for a subpoena to force Zuma to appear.
If Zuma ’ s lawyers failed to appear to respond to that application, Zondo said, it would go ahead without them.
Zuma’s lawyer, Eric Mabuza, declined to comment on Zondo’s announcement, which appears to be a distinct departure from his previously more restrained interactions with the former president, who last appeared before him in July 2019. Since then Zuma has not returned to testify, largely on the basis of alleged “serious” health concerns that saw him receiving treatment overseas.
Zondo has previously told Zuma’s lawyers that in order for him to meet the former president’s doctor over his alleged medical issues, “it will be necessary that an appropriately qualified doctor should attend that meeting” to advise him.
It is unclear whether Zuma’s lawyers have responded to that request.
Zondo’s inquiry now has less than six months in which to complete its investigation into the alleged state capture corruption that resulted in large chunks of the Zuma administration being run by private interests, including those of the Gupta family and its associates. He had previously ordered Zuma to appear before him from September 21 to 25 to answer questions about the evidence given against him by 30 witnesses including, among other people, former finance ministers Nhlanhla Nene and Trevor Manuel, public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan, former Bosasa COO Angelo Agrizzi, mineral resources minister Gwede Mantashe, health minister Zweli Mkhize and former Passenger Rail Agency of SA chair Popo Molefe.
Zuma was also asked to respond”to “Mr Y , a the State testimony Security given Agency by official who gave evidence alleging that intelligence protection services were irregularly provided to key Zuma allies, including former SAA chair Dudu Myeni.
Zuma’s lawyers responded by saying the former president would not appear in September for a variety of reasons, including health concerns related to the Covid-19 risks, his need to prepare for his criminal trial and his disquiet over recent amendments to the inquiry’s regulations that now make evidence it gathers far more accessible to the National Prosecuting Authority.
Zondo said on Monday he did not want to comment on those reasons.
Instead, he said, he had decided that the application by inquiry lawyers for Zuma to be subpoenaed would proceed on 9 October 9, unless he was satisfied that there were adequate reasons for them not to appear before him.
“If [Zuma’s lawyers] do not appear then the application will proceed without them,” Zondo said.