NPA continues unnecessary withholding of reduced record 

The Sunday Times has reported today that it is in possession of 300 pages of documents relating to the decision to drop charges against President Jacob Zuma. These documents only bolster the DA's case that the decision needs to be reviewed.

The documents are already in the public domain so why do President Zuma's lawyers and the NPA insist on keeping the reduced record from us?

It is also concerning that the NPA went to a great deal of trouble to prevent this story from being published.

In a judgment handed down on 20 March 2012, the Supreme Court of Appeal ordered the National Director of Public Prosecution (NDPP) to produce a record of all the documents, recordings, materials and evidence that led to the withdrawal of criminal charges against President Zuma.

The DA has since had to launch another court application to gain access to the reduced record. This court case will be heard early next year.

It would save both sides a lot of time and the unnecessary use of public funds if, now that the documents are in the public domain, they were handed over to the DA as was required by the SCA judgment.

If there was a case back in 2009 then there was a case and the NPA can no longer delay the truth coming out. 

The public has a right to know why the decision was taken to drop the 783 counts of racketeering, fraud, corruption and money laundering against President Jacob Zuma. We also deserve to know whether this decision was rational and based on a sound legal opinion rather than a political decision, and that is what we will be asking the court to determine.

Statement issued by James Selfe MP, Chairperson of the DA Federal Executive, November 18 2012

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