How Zuma’s legal team may rely on KPMG’s bad reputation to save their man

The Mail & Guardian on Friday reported that the two most prominent legal minds in former president Jacob Zuma’s legal team met this week to discuss the 16 recently reinstated corruption, money laundering and fraud charges that Zuma will probably now have to face in court.

Kemp J Kemp SC is leading the team and reportedly met with long-time Zuma lawyer Michael Hulley on Thursday after the latter met with Zuma on Wednesday. It is likely they will challenge the National Prosecuting Authority’s decision to resume prosecution on the basis that the original indictment against Zuma relied on a forensic report by KPMG auditor Johan van der Walt.

That report was used to build a picture of the 783 questionable payments from Zuma’s financial adviser Schabir Shaik to the then deputy president of South Africa, which Shaik was jailed for in 2005.

It’s understood, however, that the relatively recent revelations of how KPMG allegedly failed in doing auditing work of a good standard for Gupta-owned companies as well as the question marks that continue to hang over its work in compiling a report on the so-called rogue unit at the SA Revenue Service will place the auditing company’s integrity in question.

Hulley said last weekend that they were likely to go to court to take the NPA’s decision, announced by Shaun Abrahams, on review.

Zuma’s legal defence has cost taxpayers R15.3 million to date, while President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday that the state would continue to pay Zuma’s fees until the “fees deal” covering the former president is set aside by a court.

Ramaphosa explained the deal that was struck between then president Thabo Mbeki and Zuma in 2006 had been based on the provisions of the State Attorney Act and continues to be in force.

On Thursday, the DA announced it would approach the court to set aside the decision to allow taxpayers’ money to be used to pay Zuma’s legal fees in this manner.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko said, in response on Friday that “the president will await the court challenge, look at the merits and then take a decision based on that.”