Zuma slams door on Zondo court bid

Former president Jacob Zuma will not participate in the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture’s Constitutional Court (ConCourt) bid to force him to appear before the inquiry’s chair, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

In a letter to the court’s acting registrar, Zuma’s attorney, Eric Mabuza wrote: “We are instructed by our client, President JG Zuma, that he will not be participating in these proceedings at all.”

On Friday, the commission wants the court to order that Zuma take the witness stand at the hearing.

The commission has filed an urgent application for direct access to the ConCourt, in which it also seeks an order that Zuma must answer to allegations that “concern his alleged failure as president to fulfi l his obligations”.

Zuma walked out of the inquiry last month after Zondo refused his application for the deputy chief justice’s recusal.

The inquiry views that walkout, which came after evidence leader Paul Pretorius warned Zuma’s legal team that he could only leave the commission with Zondo’s permission, as demonstrating criminal contempt.

The inquiry now wants the ConCourt to order Zuma to comply with two separate summons for him to appear before Zondo – from 18 to 22 January and 15 to 19 February.

Zuma’s lawyers have not indicated whether they will oppose the inquiry’s ConCourt application.

They have also yet to fi le their promised legal review of Zondo’s refusal to recuse himself.