Duduzane Zuma annoyed over Jonas' state capture cross-examination delay
14 November 2018
It is regrettable that Duduzane Zuma travelled from Dubai to South Africa to attend the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture on Wednesday, only to be sent packing again.
This is according to inquiry chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, after Zuma's advocate Piet Louw SC, lodged a formal grievance over the "embarrassment" and inconvenience caused.
It emerged that the commission failed to notify Zuma's legal team that the cross-examination of former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas had been postponed.
Jonas filed a postponement application "a week ago", Louw said and his client should have been notified.
Zondo previously granted Zuma's application to cross-examine Jonas over his testimony that he had taken him to a meeting at the Gupta family's Saxonwold compound.
Pregnant wife
Jonas claimed that it was there that he was offered cash and the position of finance minister.
Louw again raised the issue that Zuma's wife, Shanice, was "heavily pregnant" and as a result, he would not be able to attend the commission on the new date for Jonas' cross-examination. It is set down for November 26.
In July, during an appearance in the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, his legal team again cited the "substantially pregnant" Shanice as a reason why he should be granted bail and be allowed to travel to Dubai.
Zuma, the son of the former president, has been charged with corruption, alternatively conspiracy to commit corruption, relating to the alleged R600m offer made to Jonas in 2015 by Ajay Gupta in his presence.
He was released on R100 000 bail at the time.
News24 understands that Zuma will welcome his first child with Shanice in the next few weeks.
"While one appreciates that people have lives to run... one must balance that against the challenge that would arise if the commission would in any way run on the basis that every witness must appear on a date that suits him or her," Zondo said in granting Jonas' postponement.
