Durban - With former president Jacob Zuma facing defamation allegations lodged by former minister Derek Hanekom at the Durban High Court on Wednesday, the Radical Economic Transformation (RET) Champions have urged his detractors to 'leave him in peace to enjoy his well-earned retirement'.
Hanekom hauled Zuma before the Durban High Court and is suing the former president for calling him a 'known enemy agent' on Twitter.
The tweet was made in relation to revelations by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema that Hanekom had worked with the EFF in order to oust Zuma from the presidency.
The RET Champions, who have supported Zuma throughout his corruption trial and refer to him as the ‘Father of RET’ have told detractors to back off and allow him a peaceful retirement.
“We have said that we will support Msholozi until the end. If it was up to us, we would ensure that people leave Nxamalala in peace to enjoy his retirement as a man who has worked hard for this country. Nonetheless, we will be there to support him,” Nkosentsha Shezi, chairperson of RET said.
At Zuma’s previous court appearances for his corruption trial in Durban and Pietermaritzburg he has often addressed his supporters after each appearance, but with Wednesday being the opening day of the lawyers' arguments it is unlikely that Zuma will address his supporters afterwards.
“Hanekom, by his own admission, worked with opposition and people who call us enemies and who we also call enemies to oust former president Zuma, so what’s there for the courts to prove because by his own admission he is a mole of our enemies?” Shezi said.
The matter will now be heard on Friday August 23.
Political Bureau