Zuma’s arrest will lead to instability in SA – ANC Free State
ANC provincial secretary Paseka Nompondo says the decisions the court make regarding Zuma are important because people might disagree and cause uncontrollable chaos.
Former President Jacob Zuma is pictured at the Commission of Inquiry State Capture in Johannesburg, 19 July 2019. Picture: Refilwe Modise
The African National Congress’s Free State office has issued a warning stating that arresting former president Jacob Zuma “would lead to instability in the country”.
ANC provincial secretary Paseka Nompondo said the country’s stability would be compromised following the court’s order against Zuma, reports IOL.
She said the decisions the court made regarding Zuma were important because people might disagree and cause uncontrollable chaos.
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Jacob Zuma was earlier this week issued with a warrant of arrest for failing to appear at the Pietermaritzburg High Court, but it was stayed until 6 May when his arms deal corruption trial is set to resume.
The ANC Youth League in KwaZulu-Natal vowed to mobilise people to defend the former president.
The league’s criticism of Judge Dhaya Pillay for issuing the warrant added to criticism already made by Zuma’s son Edward and others.
“We believe that it was within the means of the court to easily verify the authenticity of the sick note,” said ANCYL provincial secretary Thanduxolo Sabelo.
The court accepted that Zuma “may well be ill”, but further evidence on his condition was now required.
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The NPA argued it never received a response from Zuma’s legal team after asking for more specifics about his illness. It also wants access to his medical records to validate his illness claims.
“We were informed that he would be attending to medical treatment abroad from 23 January till mid-March 2020,” argued the NPA.
State prosecutor Billy Downer said it was disappointing that Zuma was not in court for unclear medical reasons.
Zuma’s lawyer Dan Mantsha claimed Zuma was genuinely sick, submitting a sick note from a military hospital but Judge Dhaya Pillay questioned this, as the note had allegedly been altered.
She asked Mantsha to help her understand it, but this proved seemingly unsuccessful.
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