Johannesburg - The Jacob Zuma Foundation says if the ANC does not have anything to hide, they must provide them access to financials linked to the controversial arms deal.
Spokesperson for the foundation Mzwanele Manyi said he can confirm that lawyers have sent the letters to the ANC and the Nelson Mandela Foundation and others.
“Those letters were meant to ensure that the criminal case currently in Pietermaritzburg has got all the information to be able to make the right decision. So the judge that is sitting needs to know the information. It is in the view of a legal strategy that the letters be written so that the context with all the information is readily available. President Zuma respects the people of South Africa and he has come to an easy conclusion saying no stones must be left unturned to ensure that the truth is revealed,” Manyi said.
He said failing which, they are willing to go the legal route.
The foundation also questioned the alleged excuse by the ANC that the reports may have been washed away by the floods.
“The DSG must not play games, we want those records, we are not going to take the excuse of floods. When did those floods occur? They must not come with childish excuses, everybody must cooperate and call upon the DSG of the ANC to come upfront and submit those documents,” said Manyi.
This week Zuma’s lawyers issued a letter to the party requesting the list of payments received by the ANC from German and French defence industry companies during the1997 and 1998 as well as the 1999 to 2000 financial years.
According to Zuma’s lawyers this is part of their efforts to prove that it was actually the ANC that benefited from the arms deal and not him in his personal capacity.
The ANC said it doesn’t have the financial statements requested by Zuma.
On Friday ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte refused to be drawn in discussing the letter sent by Zuma’s lawyers.
“With regards to the ANC and the arms deal matter we don’t have records of that matter, however the treasurer-general has referred the letter to lawyers to assist with the answer and as somebody said, we do have an annual report that goes to Parliament, anybody can access it,” said Duarte.
Meanwhile; Manyi said only medical doctors can give the country a report on the state of Zuma’s health.
“The lawyers who have seen Zuma said he looks fine but as the foundation we expect doctors to give us a report on the state of his health,” said Manyi.
Political Bureau