AfriForum says it achieved its goal in Duduzane Zuma case

Lobby group AfriForum said it has achieved its goal in the case of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving against Duduzane Zuma, son of former president Jacob Zuma.

Duduzane was let off the hook on a culpable homicide charge on Friday at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.

The 35-year-old accused also faced a charge of negligent and reckless driving, for which he was similarly found not guilty.

Magistrate Tebogo Thupaatlase ruled that any reasonable man in his position would not have been able to foresee a puddle of water on the road and act to prevent the accident in time. He also noted that Duduzane’s car was roadworthy.

Magistrate Tebogo Thupaatlase said his task was to determine if Duduzane had driven negligently on the night of the accident as well as whether or not this caused the death of Phumzile Dube.

AfriForum said it was happy with the outcome, adding that it had succeeded in its goal to hold Duduzane accountable.

“The purpose of AfriForum was to make sure that Zuma Jr, like any other citizen against whom a prima facie case exists, should bring his case to court. AfriForum has succeeded in this goal and rests with the court’s decision.

An investigator at AfriForum’s private prosecution unit, Elias Maangwale, said in a statement: “The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) initially decided not to give Zuma Jr in connection with a car accident on February 1, 2014, on the M1 highway in Gauteng – in which Phumzile Mekelina Dube, a young female passenger, was killed – to prosecute. After AfriForum’s private prosecution unit applied for Zuma Jr. However, the NPA reversed and initiated prosecution privately.”

(Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde, background reporting by Daniel Friedman)

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