‘Zuma should stop wasting taxpayers’ money in court’

ANC supporters were unfazed that the programme had been delayed by at least three hours, with Zuma making his way on stage after 2.30pm though the official programme was set to begin at 11am. File photo: Mike Hutchings

ANC supporters were unfazed that the programme had been delayed by at least three hours, with Zuma making his way on stage after 2.30pm though the official programme was set to begin at 11am. File photo: Mike Hutchings

Published Apr 29, 2016

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Johannesburg – President Jacob Zuma should step down and refrain from appealing the High Court ruling that he face the 783 corruption charges dropped by then acting National Director of Public Prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe in 2009, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said on Friday.

EFF Spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi told ANA that South Africa cannot have a President “moving between the courts and the Union Buildings”.

Ndlozi added: “He has to answer individually to those charges and 780 charges are too many. He must step down and allow this process to proceed uninterrupted … and further more he must not appeal, we reject anymore usage of taxpayers’s money. This country never sent Zuma to take part in illegal activities, an appeal is a waste of money and in itself corrupt”.

Earlier on Friday Deputy Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba read the “spy tapes” judgement on behalf of a full bench of judges in the long-drawn case brought by the Democratic Alliance (DA).

“Mr Zuma should face the charges as outlined in the indictment. This court finds that the decision of 1st April 2009 to discontinue the prosecution of the case against Mr Zuma is irrational and should be reviewed and set aside,” said Ledwaba.

He said Mpshe took the decision under pressure at the time.

Mpshe threw the case out on the basis that the so-called spy tapes – recordings of tapped phone calls between senior prosecution officials – suggested they manipulated the timing of Zuma’s indictment on fraud, corruption and racketeering charges for political reasons.

Over the years, the DA has maintained that this was not sufficient reason to withdraw the 783 charges that dogged Zuma to the steps of the presidency.

African News Agency

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