Zuma lies to dodge answering question on Mcebisi Jonas & Guptas

17 November 2016

President Jacob Zuma has, once again, lied to Parliament and to the people of South Africa in an attempt to avoid answering a written Parliamentary question pertaining to Mcebisi Jonas and the Guptas.

In a written question, I queried the President’s contradiction in his answering of a question relating to Mcebisi Jonas being offered a cabinet position by the Guptas.

Specifically, I asked why the President did not reply to the Public Protector’s question on the Deputy Minister, Mr Mcebisi Jonas, being offered a Cabinet position during a meeting with a with the Gupta’s at their residence in October 2015, while he replied to the same question in the National Assembly on 17 March 2016.

In reply, the President states that “the question pertains to matters that are either before courts and/or are subject to other legal processes. I am therefore unable to answer the question until the said processes have been concluded.”

This is an unadulterated lie by Jacob Zuma.

This matter is not before any court of law, nor subject to any legal processes. The facts are simple: the report has been released and its remedial action is binding as confirmed by the Constitutional Court. Unless the President decides to take it on review – which he has not – the report and its findings stand and are legally binding.

Moreover, the remedial action which requires the President to appoint a commission of inquiry headed by a judge selected by the Chief Justice within 30 days has yet to be initiated.

In the absence of any official review application in a court of law, and in the absence of an initiated Judicial Commission of Inquiry, the President cannot lie and point to legal processes which are non-existent.

There remains no legal or rational basis for Jacob Zuma to not answer to Parliament regarding a matter of State Capture. I will therefore be resubmitting this question to the President, demanding he answer it in full, and not hide behind dishonest assertions.

The State of Capture report is victory for the Constitution, the rule of law, and the fight against corruption and state capture by the Jacob Zuma and the ANC. Its remedial action must be implemented without delay.

Issued by Mmusi Maimane, Leader of the Democratic Alliance, 17 November 2016