COUNTING THE COST

The only fortunes to rise definitively during the Zuma era — other than those of the Guptas — were those of SA’S legal eagles. But the former president has fought hard to avoid revealing his legal bill

Exactly how much the SA public has paid for former president Jacob Zuma’s countless futile legal battles is shrouded in mystery. Up to this point, Zuma himself has refused to tell parliament how much his “Stalingrad” strategy — fighting every point in his battle to avoid prosecution — has cost.

Under threat of legal action, President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed this week that taxpayers have spent at least R15.3m in funding Zuma’s campaign to avoid prosecution.

This was money spent by Zuma fighting to ensure the “spy tapes” weren’t released to the public. The spy tapes were cited by prosecutors as the reason for dropping criminal charges against Zuma in 2009.

The DA challenged the decision to drop charges — and after fighting this issue for years, Zuma conceded at the last minute. At much cost, it turns out.

It still remains unclear how much Zuma spent on his numerous efforts to overturn the “State of Capture” report, issued by former public protector Thuli Madonsela in October 2016.

This week, the Ramaphosa’s office confirmed to the Financial Mail that, should Zuma be criminally charged again and go on trial for corruption, the public will continue to pay for his defence.

However, Ramaphosa’s office said that if Zuma is convicted, he will have to repay the money spent on his legal fees.

Ramaphosa previously said he won’t appeal a court ruling that Zuma should personally pay the substantial legal costs of his failed court campaign to overturn Madonsela’s report. That means Zuma must fund his own appeal — or pay back fees estimated at more than R10m.

The revelation this week that R15.3m has been spent on just one pillar of Zuma’s legal challenge raises the question of how much his legal tactics have cost SA thus far.

What it means: Taxpayers will have to pay for Zuma’s defence, should he stand trial for corruption