Jacob Zuma spent R15.3 million of public money to stay out of jail, confirms State Attorney

In a letter received by the DA today, the State Attorney has revealed that the Presidency has spent R15 300 250 of public money over the past 9 years on the “Spy Tapes” case – which includes all legal costs pertaining to the National Prosecuting Authority’s decision to decline to prosecute former President Zuma on charges of fraud, corruption and racketeering.

This legal action was against Jacob Zuma in his personal capacity, for crimes he allegedly committed before he was President. He was not a respondent in that case in his capacity as President of the Republic of South Africa. As such, this amounts to R15.3 million of irregular spending by the government to keep Jacob Zuma out of jail.

Therefore Jacob Zuma must personally pay back this money. The DA has consulted our legal team and begun the legal process of retrieving every cent of this R15.3 million from Jacob Zuma. As this money was spent by the Presidency, we call on President Cyril Ramaphosa to join our legal action to recover this money from Jacob Zuma. The new President cannot talk tough on corruption and wasteful spending, yet turn a blind eye to this blatant abuse of public funds by Jacob Zuma.

We will retrieve the people’s money from Jacob Zuma, and he will eventually have his day in court and will have to answer to the 783 counts of fraud, corruption, money-laundering and racketeering against him.

Statement issued by Mmusi Maimane, Leader of the Democratic Alliance, 13 March 2018