Pretoria - In a sudden turn of events, President Jacob Zuma withdrew his application to gag the Public Protector's report, and tendered to pay the cost of all parties concerned - and now the fight is about whether he should personally carry the costs.
Both advocates Dumisa Ntsebeza, for the EFF, and Dali Mpofu, for the UDM and Cope, launched a scathing attack on Zuma and accused him to use his public office to fight his personal battles.
“The time has come for the president to personally take responsibility... It can never be said that his bid to try and stop the report was in the public interest,” Ntsebeza said.
Mpofu argued that it is time to respect the office of the Public Protector. He said it was not the first time this office had been disrespected, but this case (the Zuma application) is even a more aggravating example of this.
“I implore the court to say something before its too late...This is aggravated abuse,” Mpofu said.
He added that the law could not be used to shield the reputational damage “of corrupt people.”
Legal arguments regarding costs are proceeding.
Pretoria News