NEWS & ANALYSIS

NPA decides to prosecute Duduzane Zuma for culpable homicide

Phumzile Dube was killed in February 2014 after President's son's Porsche collided with taxi

NPA decides to prosecute Duduzane Zuma for culpable homicide

19 April 2018

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has decided to prosecute Duduzane Zuma for culpable homicide, it confirmed on Thursday.

Zuma had been given until the end of March to say why he should not be prosecuted, NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku said.

No representations were received by the deadline.

"The NDPP (National Director of Public Prosecutions) received the decision of the DPP (Director of Public Prosecutions) of South Gauteng and directed that prosecution be instituted."

The matter has now been referred to the DPP to ensure that the matter is enrolled in court.

Phumzile Dube was killed in February 2014 after Duduzane's Porsche collided with the taxi in which she was travelling.

In August 2015, the NPA decided not to prosecute the former president's son after Magistrate Lalitha Chetty found, during a formal judicial inquest into the death, that there was prima facie evidence that Dube's death had been caused by the younger Zuma's negligent actions.

In her judgment at the time, Chetty disclosed that she did not use the standard burden of proof – beyond reasonable doubt - but that she had applied a less stringent standard.

Lobby group AfriForum gave the NPA an ultimatum at the end of last year to either prosecute Duduzane or release a nolle prosequi certificate (required for a private prosecution), which would allow former NPA  prosecutor, known as the "Pit Bull", Gerrie Nel to prosecute him.

News24