Edward Zuma: Human Rights Commission must investigate Duduzane’s ankle chains

Former president Jacob Zuma’s eldest son, Edward, has spoken out against how his brother, Duduzane, controversially appeared in ankle chains in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court on Monday.

Duduzane was released on R100 000 bail on Monday, and his corruption case was postponed to January 24, 2019. It is reported that the younger Zuma brother had turned himself in at the Johannesburg Central Police Station ahead of his court appearance on Monday.

His elder brother told the SABC that the Human Rights Commission (HRC) should look into how Duduzane appeared in ankle chains. However, there was no clarity on whether Edward would lodge an official complaint with the HRC.

The Black First Land First (BLF) had also voiced their disapproval of how Duduzane had been brought into the commercial crimes court in ankle chains.

BLF leader Andile Mngxitama told journalists outside the Randburg Magistrates’ Court, following Duduzane’s appearance on two counts of culpable homicide on Thursday, that the ankle chains were a form of intimidation.

The organisation is of the view that there is a politically motivated ploy directed at Duduzane that is intended as an attack on his father.

Furthermore, a poster with the traditional ANC colours calling for ‘Freedom for Duduzane’ was doing the rounds on social media ahead of Duduzane’s court appearance on Thursday. The poster also questioned why Duduzane had been ankle-chained?

“Did they chain [former Steinhoff CEO] Markus Jooste?” a question is posed on the poster.

Meanwhile, a fracas flared up outside the Randburg Magistrates’ Court between BLF members and AfriForum’s Kallie Kriel following Duduzane’s appearance on Thursday.

BLF managed to shout down several attempts to interview Kriel, saying he had no right to speak “on black issues”, that he was racist and should “go back to Holland”.

Kriel told reporters that AfriForum would not be intimidated by racists such as the BLF, but would continue supporting the deceased’s family, who were represented by the lobby group’s head of private prosecution, Gerrie Nel.

Mngxitama told journalist that no court would stop it from defending itself against “settlers”.

“We must be clear, any white person who touches us we will send them to hell. Any white person who touches us, we will go to their homes, we will go to where they eat, we will go to where they work, we will find them, and we will deal with them.

“No f**k*ng court is going to stop us from defending ourselves against settlers. They stole our land, they make us slaves, now today they are coming to take our dignity, and you believe we will not defend ourselves? That will not happen,” Mngxitama said.

Duduzane appeared in court on Thursday on two charges of culpable homicide in connection with a 2014 car crash as well as an alternative charge of negligent driving.

The case was postponed to August 23 so the defence could study the docket.

ALSO READ: We will send to hell any white person who touches us – Mngxitama

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