‘He won’t be doing interviews on any matter under the sun’– Zuma goes to ground

The Jacob Zuma Foundation said the former President will not be doing interviews after he lost two appeals this week.

The former president was dealt a double blow this week after he lost his appeals in the private prosecutions of President Cyril Ramaphosa, lead prosecutor in his arms deal corruption case Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan.

After the judgements, the Foundation’s spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said: “Please be advised the Patron of the Foundation, H.E President Zuma, will not be doing any media interviews on any matter under the sun.”

Downer and Maughn case

The former president appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday to appeal an order which declared the setting aside of his private prosecution against Downer and Maughan as immediately enforceable.

In delivering the judgment, Judge Gregory Kruger said Zuma’s appeal had no merits.

Kruger said the court stood by its original reasons and conclusions and did not believe another court would come to a different conclusion.

“We arrived at the conclusion that there are no merits in any of the arguments raised by the applicant (Zuma),” Judge Kruger said.

ALSO READ: UPDATE: Court dismisses Zuma’s leave to appeal in Ramaphosa’s private prosecution

Ramaphosa case

Less than 24 hours later, Zuma suffered a second court loss after his leave to appeal application in his private prosecution of Ramaphosa was dismissed

The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg delivered its ruling on Tuesday, dismissing the former president’s application with costs, in a unanimous judgment.

The former president had approached the court seeking to overturn a previous judgment, which ruled that the former president may not prosecute Ramaphosa.

Zuma initiated private prosecutions against Ramaphosa on the eve of the African National Congress’ (ANC) national elective conference on 15 December last year.

It was unclear what Zuma’s next move would be following the two court losses.

ALSO READ: Zuma appeal in Downer, Maughan private prosecution case fails