Duduzane Zuma to face corruption charges – reports

Sunday newspapers have been agog with news that former president Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane (34) is likely to be charged on Monday in relation to the role he played in alleged corruption.

City Press, the Sunday Times and The Sunday Independent have all run with the story on their front pages in what’s being described as the most high-level charge yet laid in the state capture saga.

Duduzane was already scheduled to appear in court on a charge of culpable homicide this week.

His father, according to the Sunday Times, was concerned Duduzane might be arrested and reportedly tried to advise him against returning home to attend a family funeral.

On Thursday, Duduzane was flagged at OR Tambo because of a warrant of arrest related to a Rosebank police case from 2016. It has since emerged that this case relates to an allegation made by then deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas that Ajay Gupta had offered to make him the finance minister as well as pay him R600 million in return for favours once he was installed in the job.

Jonas claims to have refused and went public with the story, including that Gupta had tried to give him R600 000 in cash in a bag.

In an affidavit from last year, Jonas denied Gupta’s claim that Jonas had been blatantly dishonest about meeting with Ajay, Duduzane and Fana Hlongwane, and that the version of events he gave to the public protector’s state capture probe had been correct. Duduzane was also subpoenaed to give a statement to the public protector, Thuli Madonsela, but he failed to do so.

Jonas maintains that Gupta told him his family had already made R6 billion from the state and wanted to increase that to R8 billion. He allegedly said they planned to take the money to Dubai.

Their meeting occurred on 23 October 2015, and City Press reports that the Hawks have footage from a hotel to prove the encounter did begin at the Hyatt in Rosebank before moving to Gupta’s home.

It’s understood Duduzane will be charged in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act. Ajay Gupta, who allegedly made the actual bribe, is the first accused but still remains at large.

Police issued a “lookout” for Duduzane after his arrival at the airport was flagged on Thursday.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced earlier this week they will prosecute Duduzane on a charge of culpable homicide over the death of Phumzile Dube. She died after Duduzane, in his Porsche, crashed into a taxi she was travelling in on the M1 in Johannesburg.

On Thursday, he was arrested at OR Tambo and released shortly thereafter to attend his brother Vusi’s funeral on Saturday.

Duduzane had been flying with his attorney Rudi Krause, presumably to prepare for Thursday’s case.

However, it’s now understood he will make his first appearance to answer on the corruption charge on Monday at the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Johannesburg.

The Sunday Times further reports that Duduzane may be charged in relation to the Estina dairy farm corruption case in the Free State, when funds meant for rural development were instead allegedly used to fund a lavish Gupta wedding at Sun City.

In a previous interview with the BBC, Duduzane admitted that a meeting with Jonas had taken place, and he was present, but no offer of any bribe was made.

He also tweeted about his feeling of persecution on Friday.

Has this country lost sense of humanity, to certain extent that one can't even be given a chance to mourn in peace? What happened to us black people? Do we no longer value each other as beings? Do we hate each other so much that we can't even understand the pain of grievance?

— Duduzane Zuma (@Duduzane__Zuma) July 6, 2018

A black man is always a suspect.

— Duduzane Zuma (@Duduzane__Zuma) July 6, 2018