Duduzane case postponed, case to be heard next year

Duduzane Zuma, the son of former president Jacob Zuma, appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday, on two counts of culpable homicide. The case was postponed to January 24.

The young Zuma faces the charges in connection with a 2014 car crash as well as an alternative charge of negligent driving.

His car rear-ended Jabulani Vusi Dlamini’s taxi on the M1 South off-ramp to Grayston Drive in Sandton. Phumzile Dube was killed and three other passengers injured.

He appeared in court on July 12, and the case was postponed to August 23 to allow the defence time to study the contents of the docket.

Zuma made his wife’s pregnancy known to authorities in an affidavit he sent from Dubai before arriving in South Africa to attend his brother Vusi’s funeral recently.

Zuma is also facing charges of corruption arising from the role he played in a failed attempt to allegedly bribe then deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas at the Gupta family’s Saxonwold home in October 2015.

It is alleged that at the meeting, Duduzane, businessperson Fana Hlongwane, and Ajay Gupta offered Jonas the job of finance minister and a bribe of R600 million.

On July 3, the Randburg Magistrates’ Court summoned Duduzane to appear in court on July 12.

The National Prosecuting Authority decided in August 2015 to not prosecute Duduzane, despite the findings of an inquest that he was negligent in the accident.

“He failed to conduct himself in a reasonable manner under the circumstances,” Randburg magistrate Lolita Chetty said at the time, after the inquest.

During the inquest, Duduzane said he lost control of his Porsche after it hit a puddle in rainy conditions.

(Compiled by Gopolang Chawane)

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