POLITICS

Imminent release of preliminary report spooks Zuma & Co - Mmusi Maimane

DA leader says president must dispense with the charade and answer PP's questions on state capture

State Capture: Imminent release of preliminary report spooks Zuma & Co.

13 October 2016

The Democratic Alliance taking note of a series of coordinated attacks on the Public Protector and a ploy to frustrate the probe into State Capture, looks forward to the release of the preliminary report, which appears to have spooked the probe’s main protagonists.

Last week, President Jacob Zuma demanded to cross-examine witnesses and interrogate documents. This demand came at the eleventh hour despite the President being made well aware of the probe as far back as 22 March 2016, after the Public Protector informed him of the complaint laid by the Democratic Alliance Leader, Mmusi Maimane, on 18 March 2016.

To date, President Zuma has not answered a series of questions posed to him by the Public Protector citing not having time to prepare. This ploy is all too familiar. The President employed a similar tactic in order to frustrate Adv. Madonsela’s Nkandla investigation.

Despite the pronouncements by the ANC Chief Whip in Parliament that the ANC erred in their posture towards the Public Protector in the Nkandla saga, it is clear that the ANC at Luthuli House is determined to make a similar transgression in the State Capture probe.

The President must dispense with the charade and answer the questions posed to him by the Public Protector, Adv. Madonsela forthwith.

This week we have seen the Guptas and the ever petulant and juvenile ANCYL launch a coordinated campaign to discredit the Public Protector by threatening and insulting the processes followed in her probe. This campaign must be treated with the greatest degree of contempt, and seen for what it is: an attempt by Zuma’s circle of cronies attempting to get out of the corner they have been pushed into.  

In their campaign to discredit the Public Protector, Zuma’s circle of cronies must be reminded that their conduct goes against the seminal Constitutional Court judgement handed down by a full bench of the Court that stated “In the execution of her investigative, reporting or remedial powers, she is not to be inhibited, undermined or sabotaged.”

The DA will continue to fight against corruption as it undermines the project of building a better South Africa, especially for the poor. 

Statement issued by DA leader, Mmusi Maimane,, 13 October 2016