Zuma may have point with allegations against Zondo, says expert

The Jacob Zuma Foundation may have a point, attorney Nthabiseng Dubazana said, following a scathing three-page statement released by the foundation in defence of Zuma against what they deem to be an attempt to shame the former president.

Dubazana says issues raised in the document had some merit noting one allegation specifically identifying that Minister Pravin Gordhan had in one instance allegedly failed to file an affidavit.

Statements such as those had merit in that they indicated a lack of the same “blanket treatment” being offered to parties.

Although the issues raised in the three-page grievance against Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo were not of legal standing, they did, however, provide Zuma’s legal team with a leg to stand on, if they were pursuing a civil case.

An adequate time frame of 24 hours should have been provided to Zuma’s legal team beforehand, Dubazana stressed during the interview.

The foundation retaliated on the same public space which the deputy chief justice issued the comments. Although the chief justice could be seen as putting his foot down, there were processes to be followed, Dubazana maintained.  Zondo had not disproven that Zuma was sick, and Zuma’s legal team could use Zondo’s actions of late to discredit the Deputy Chief Justice, with a civil case of possible defamation of character.

Some of the allegations by the foundation were that Zondo lacked the same courage when faced with the open defiance by certain people, who have refused to appear before the commission and that Zondo has not called a press conference to respond to Gordhan when he failed even to file an affidavit to explain his non-appearance. This inconsistency and fear of the powerful is not expected from the man who occupies the second-highest office in the judiciary.

The document slamming Zondo’s actions expressed disappointment in Zondo’s treatment of Zuma.

“[Zondo’s] media conference was ill-advised and utterly inappropriate for a person of his seniority in the judiciary.

“His attacks on president Zuma and his legal representatives was absolutely unjustified and prejudicial,” it added.

“During his media conference, the Chairperson omitted to mention that the very instructions regarding the date of 9 October 2020 and 16-20 November 2020 were only communicated to President Zuma’s attorneys on Friday, 18 September 2020.

“Unprovoked, the chairperson calls the press conference, insinuating that president Zuma or his lawyers have defied him when they have not even responded to the letter of 18 September 2020. It is regrettable, though not surprising, that he decides that the way to deal with the matter is through the media.”

Zondo announced that he would consider an application for Zuma to be subpoenaed to appear before him for five days in November. On Monday, Zondo said he would not negotiate with Zuma and his legal team on the dates that Zuma should testify on at the commission.

The Deputy Chief Justice announced that he has determined that Zuma will appear before him from 16 to 20 November.

Congress of the People’s spokesperson Dennis Bloem says Zuma and his puppets must stop with the attacks on Zondo.

“If [Zuma] is not guilty, he will go and clear his name.”

Cope supports Zondo that there was no more time for postponements.

“Zuma is not above the law. We support Zondo for calling on Zuma to appear for testimony and not waste time.”

Bloem views the statements by the foundation as justification of the former president’s repeated failure to answer the inquiry’s questions.

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