DA expects 783 charges against Zuma to be reinstituted immediately

27 November 2017

The DA is currently finalising our submissions to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as to why the 783 charges of corruption, fraud, money-laundering and racketeering against President Jacob Zuma should be reinstituted immediately.

The NPA set a deadline of 30 November 2017 by which President Zuma and the DA can submit representations on the matter.

The impending decision by the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shaun Abrahams, on whether or not to proceed with charging President Zuma is the one case that will make or break the NPA’s credibility.

Throughout the eight and a half years that the DA has been fighting to ensure that President Zuma gets his day in court, the basis of our case has been that it should not be up to a civil servant to unilaterally decide to withdraw criminal charges once the charge sheet has been finalised. The decision should be made rationally, by a court of law with the right to exercise judicial oversight.

This was confirmed by a full bench of the North Gauteng High Court in April 2016 when Justice Aubrey Ledwaba handed down a judgment that the decision to drop the charges against President Zuma was irrational and further that the decision to drop the charges in this instance should be made by a court of law.

This judgment should have seen the charges reinstated immediately yet President Zuma saw fit to waste more time and spend taxpayer’s money on frivolous appeals, despite repeatedly professing his innocence, and asking for his day in court.

If President Zuma is as innocent as he claims, he must convince a court of law just like any other ordinary citizen.

Shaun Abrahams must seize the opportunity to prove that the NPA has not been captured and proceed with the prosecution immediately and set a date for the trial.

Issued by James Selfe, DA Federal Council Chairperson, 27 November 2017