Make your own presumptions on Zuma’s ‘integrity’

An accused person is innocent until proven guilty – and former president Jacob Zuma fits that definition of innocence. So, his lawyers have appealed to the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture to extend to him the “presumption of integrity”.

Choking back our incredulity and our laughter at that comment, we must wonder whether or not Judge Raymond Zondo is entitled to “take judicial notice” of the fact that Zuma has fought tooth and nail for more than 15 years to avoid having his day in court.

All the while, protesting his innocence, he has said repeatedly he wants to prove he is not guilty of corruption charges. Now, he appears to be applying the same delaying tactics to the work of the commission, which is tasked with probing state capture.

He and his lawyers claim he is too sick to attend and that he has been treated abroad.

This despite some images of him on social media during the festive season, showing him hale and hearty as he wished people well.

In 2016, the man who claims he has integrity was found to have violated the constitution by not paying back taxpayers’ money spent on his Nklandla homestead. So, we will make our own presumptions.

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