Carl Niehaus tells Justice Moseneke ‘to watch out’ after he called Zuma a ‘bumbling fool’

Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA) spokesperson Carl Niehaus issued a warning to former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke, telling him “to watch out” after Moseneke on Wednesday referred to former president Jacob Zuma as a “bumbling fool”.

Moseneke was speaking at an event at the University of the Witwatersrand in his own honour, where, during his address, the respected judge did not mince words about Zuma.

Mosekene said that South Africa did not have the strength to confront “the bumbling fool who was … acting as a president and tell him he’s a fool, and tell him he’s incapable of [adhering to] the high ideals of our liberation struggle. And as we failed to do that, we actually allowed so much devastation and poor people became poorer.”

Niehaus was speaking outside court following Zuma’s proceedings, with the former president about to start talking.

After issuing his warning to Moseneke, Niehaus said: “He is an example to us of how this kind of propaganda over the years has impacted on the judiciary over the years.”

Niehaus further called on ANC members testifying at the commission of inquiry into state capture to produce facts when doing so.

“We respect that there is a commission, but those who go there [must] talk facts and not expose themselves as people promoting self-interests,” Niehaus said.

He added that former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, who both have testified at the commission, “and many others, will be exposed as liars”.

Niehaus pledged that the MKMVA would “stand with Zuma till the bitter end” “because we say as MKMVA, we will never leave a fellow soldier behind on the battlefield”.

The spokesperson said it was a shame that Zuma was being dragged to court on trumped-up charges which he said were from political meddling with the intent to destroy one of the greatest leaders of the ANC who had spoken on behalf of the poor, had introduced free higher education, expanded social grants, and ensured that radical economic transformation was truly implemented.

“We know that white monopoly capitalism does not want that to happen … their media has for 15 years been publishing propaganda to destroy the people’s president,” Niehaus said.

He added that Zuma would not get a free and fair trial, which justified a permanent stay of prosecution.

The Pietermaritzburg High Court ruled today that Zuma’s application for a permanent stay of prosecution for his corruption trial is set to be heard over three days from May 20 next year.

Watch the proceedings outside court:

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