Joburg – The Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.said yesterday it has set aside five days (February 15 – 19) for former president Jacob Zuma to testify and answer some allegations made against him.
On February 1, Zuma shocked the country when he said he was going to defy the commission because it was out to get him. He had previously defied a summons for him to appear before the commission between January 18 and 22.
Despite several attempts to persuade Zuma by those close to him to appear before the commission, he had not changed his mind by Sunday. His spokesperson, Vukile Mathabela, confirmed this.
“He is not going as per his last official communication,” Mathabela said.
On the other side, the Zondo Commission is adamant that Zuma must avail himself.
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The commission previously said it would announce its next course of action on the day Zuma defies its summons.
It said in a statement on February 2: “In terms of one of the summonses issued by the commission Mr Zuma is required to appear before the Commission from the 15th to the 19th February 2021. As already indicated the order of the Constitutional Court compels Mr Zuma to comply with that summons by appearing before the Commission and answering questions that may be put to him."
"Should Mr Zuma carry out his decision not to appear before the Commission on 15 February 2021 and, therefore, act in breach of the summons and in contempt of the order of the Constitutional Court, the commission will announce on that day what further action it will take in regard to such conduct.“
Meanwhile, the MKMVA (uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association), RET (Radical Economic Transformation) forces and Ubumbano Lokuthula had yesterday, descended on Nkandla to “secure” the home of the former president.
The “force” is there to prevent the possible arrest of the former president for defying a Constitutional Court ruling that he must appear before the Zondo commission which is probing allegations of state capture during his nine-year rule.
MKMVA spokesperson Carl Niehaus said they were co-ordinating their defence efforts with RET Forces of KZN, led by Nkosentsha Shezi. Also joining the two was the Ubumbano Lokuthula organisation led by Andile Hlatshwayo.
“They are about 100 (MKMVA members) or so. They are going to stay there as long it is necessary … to protect President Zuma,” Niehaus told Independent Media yesterday.
Shezi refused to divulge how many members his organisation has sent to Nkandla, saying revealing that information would compromise them. He claimed that local traditional leaders supported their initiative after they met with them to inform them of their presence in the area to defend Zuma.
“We can’t say for how long we will stay in Nkandla but what I can say is that we will stay there as long it is necessary … We are happy that even local traditional leaders and the community of Nkandla are supporting us in this,” Shezi said.
Hlatshwayo indicated that he will go to defend Zuma’s home today, in Nkandla. He said his organisation has sent 50 of their trusted members to take part in Zuma’s defence.
“As Ubumbano we are sending 50 people to take part in the defence of Zuma against any planned arrest,” he said.
Political Bureau