Zuma’s son a no-show at presser he called

President Jacob Zuma's son Edward called a press conference to be held at a Durban hotel on Tuesday morning, and then stood journalists up. File picture: Marilyn Bernard

President Jacob Zuma's son Edward called a press conference to be held at a Durban hotel on Tuesday morning, and then stood journalists up. File picture: Marilyn Bernard

Published Sep 28, 2016

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Durban - President Jacob Zuma’s son Edward Zuma called a press conference to be held at a Durban hotel on Tuesday morning, and then stood journalists up.

About 10 newspaper, TV and radio journalists turned up at the Elangeni Hotel.

Edward Zuma had invited the journalists through one of their colleagues, intimating that he was going to give his reaction to a story in the Sunday Times.

It quoted Edward’s uncle, Michael Zuma, and his wife Thembekile MaXulu Zuma as saying the family were concerned about President Zuma’s safety and wished he would quit.

In a WhatsApp message Edward sent to the journalist on Friday, he said the Elangeni was the “confirmed (venue) for Tuesday 11 (am)”.

The first part of the message read, “Hi baba, will be having a media conference... to address all these issues South Africa is faced with.”

When the journalist asked Edward if he would personally attend the briefing, he said, “Yes it’s my media conference, baba.”

However, journalists were left waiting for more than an hour without any sign of the president’s son. Edward never arrived nor did he send anyone to explain. Journalists took turns trying to phone him and sending text and WhatsApp messages without any response.

Staff at the Elangeni Hotel denied that Edward had booked a venue. It appeared that Edward read a WhatsApp message from The Mercury on Tuesday morning but did not respond.

It was reported on Sunday that Michael Zuma and his wife had expressed concern that President Zuma was facing difficult times, and they feared his enemies might endanger his life.

“As a family we sometimes think they are going to kill him. We tell ourselves that maybe if he comes back home he will be away from them. We’re scared because he is among them,” read the quote from Thembekile.

The Mercury

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