The Jacob Zuma foundation confirmed that former President Jacob Zuma will challenge what they called ‘unlawful and highly irrational’ State Capture Report in relation to him.
The foundation also announced that they will be reporting Zondo to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) amid a couple of accusations.
Zuma was supposed to physically address the media in response to the report but due to parole conditions he could not attend the briefing in Sandton on Saturday.
Advocate Dali Mpofu was asked by the spokesperson to the foundation, to explain why Zuma could not attend the briefing.
Mpofu told the media that the legal teams and Correctional Services Department officials had consultations and Zuma was allowed to travel from KwaZulu-Natal to Johannesburg however the official advised that he cannot address the media or hold gatherings to avoid parole violation.
“He (Zuma) would have wanted to be here, After the briefing we are going to go back to him and continue with the consultation,” Mpofu said,
Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma said “My father sent his greetings to everyone”,
The report by the State Capture Commission headed by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo released on Wednesday reported that Zuma permitted, supported and enabled corruption and state capture during his term as the country’s president.
The commission sat for almost four years and it cost about R2 billion. Zuma appointed Zondo to head the commission.
“Zuma was reduced to a clerical function of appointing Zondo who was selected by the then Chief Justice. The jury is still out as to why the initially chosen chair of the commission, Justice Siraj Desai was mysteriously changed on the day of appointment. In summary we hold the view that given the unlawfulness of how this Inquiry was set up, it cannot be that its findings and
recommendations are lawful. The report is therefore a classical case of the fruits of a poisoned tree,” Manyi said.
The foundation expressed dissatisfaction with the conduct of Zondo during the inquiry.
“To say Zondo is unworthy of being called a judge would be a serious understatement. Zondo fails the most basic of the tests even for the most junior judge. No self-respecting judge worthy of that title sits in a case where he/she is directly affected and demonstrably conflicted in
in order to settle personal scores.
“In response to a question about his political meddling, he tried to justify his reason for the visit but instead, what we remember is that he said “I knew him, it might have been more than 20 years.......” He also miraculously “could not remember” what they discussed when they met more than once in hotels in KZN” he said.
Manyi said there is no fair justice in South Africa.
“Zuma was and continues to be selectively illtreated by the legal system of South Africa. It
would be wrong to upgrade our legal system into a justice system. There is still no fair justice system in South Africa. We are yet to see and experience the blind justice system for which people like President Zuma sacrificed so much, including long term imprisonment in Robben Island and life itself,” Manyi said.
He slammed the report, saying it is full of gossip.
“It is really not clear what exactly Zondo and his team actually do, almost half a decade and R2 billion later. This commission has simply passed the buck to the NPA to do the investigations which it was mandated to do. The report is characterised by bias in favour of the faction that is supportive of President Cyril Ramaphosa. Zondo himself could not hold back his political and factional support for Ramaphosa.
“He praised Ramaphosa for taking over from Zuma and by default impugned the integrity of Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and all those who voted for her by adding that “more damage could have been done to the National Treasury” had she won at NASREC. On what basis, and on which evidence or submission made at the Commission did Zondo conclude basically that DR NDZ would have done the damage he imagined? What kind of a judge is this?” asked Manyi.
Manyi announced that Zuma has briefed his legal team, among other things, to report Zondo to the JSC within the next week or two.
“The JSC will be asked to investigate the grossly unlawful comments by Zondo who took it upon himself to comment on matters pending before the courts. Zondo is on record saying
“For spy boss Arthur Fraser who was National Commissioner for Correctional Services, granted him (Zuma) medical parole under questionable circumstances.......” The specific issue of whether the granting of parole was appropriate or “questionable” is to be heard in the Supreme Court of Appeal on 15 August 2022,to the full knowledge of Zondo,” said Manyi.
The foundation also accused Zondo of not being a deserving person in getting the position of Chief Justice, Manyi said that appointment has to be probed as well..