Zuma’s ‘struggle’ to privately prosecute Ramaphosa continues [VIDEO]

The Jacob Zuma Foundation spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi, said that the former president will not give up on his private prosecution case against President Cyril Ramaphosa and will continue to pursue the matter until the end.

During proceedings in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Advocate Dali Mpofu, representing Zuma, said the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader is taking his private prosecution case against Ramaphosa to the Constitutional Court because the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) dismissed a reconsideration application in May.

In July last year, a full bench of the Gauteng High Court set aside Zuma’s private prosecution of Ramaphosa, saying it was unlawful and unconstitutional. In September, the court refused him leave to appeal, saying an appeal had no prospects of success.

Watch: Manyi on Zuma seeing the matter against Ramaphosa through

‘Justice will prevail’

Zuma, who was in attendance seemed in high spirits during the proceedings. The matter has been postponed to 6 February 2025.

Manyi said they are hoping justice will prevail.

“President Zuma is one person who understands that eventually justice will prevail. He’s an icon of the struggle, he understands nothing happens overnight. Even here, President Zuma like he struggled over apartheid, is also going to struggle against this Ramaphosa regime.

“We are hoping that sanity will prevail because the case is straightforward, there’s been a violation of the law and the prosecution must be allowed to proceed,” Manyi said.

ALSO READ: Zuma takes Ramaphosa private prosecution fight to ConCourt [VIDEO]

‘Let it go’

Last year, prominent defence attorney William Booth said the plethora of applications brought by Zuma before the various courts in his attempt to appeal rulings against him were “ridiculous” and that it was time for the courts to set a precedent against such applications.

Booth said Zuma should just let it go.

“This whole process, if you can call it a process, or saga or circus, whichever way you want to discuss these applications brought by former president Zuma, is quite ridiculous.

“I think it’s about time the court actually state categorically that if lawyers bring such applications on behalf of whoever and there is absolutely no basis, they must be held accountable,” Booth said.

Private prosecution

Zuma initiated private prosecution against Ramaphosa on the eve of the ANC national elective conference on 15 December 2022.

He accused Ramaphosa of being an “accessory after the fact” to another private prosecution he was pursuing against prosecutor Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan for an alleged breach of the National Prosecuting Authority Act.

Zuma also accused Downer, who is the lead prosecutor in his arms deal corruption trial, of allegedly leaking his confidential medical information to Maughan in August 2021.

ALSO READ: Let it go: Zuma’s court applications, appeals ‘ridiculous’