Zuma to appeal Spy Tapes ruling, DA to oppose

The DA has this afternoon received notification from the lawyers acting for President Jacob Zuma that they intend to apply for leave to appeal the decision of the North Gauteng High Court, which had instructed the NPA to hand over the controversial spy tapes and all related memoranda within five days.

These transcripts form part of the reduced record of decision by the NPA to drop over 700 charges of fraud and corruption against President Jacob Zuma.

We are advised by our lawyers that their grounds for this appeal are flimsy and it remains unclear on what basis they can appeal at all. This can be therefore interpreted as nothing more than a delaying tactic, at the taxpayer's expense, to prevent this crucial information from being made public. 

The DA will oppose their application vigorously, because South Africa deserves to know, once and for all, whether the decision by the NPA to drop the charges against President Jacob Zuma was politically motivated.

We will continue to fight this case for as long as it takes and whatever it costs in defence of two hugely important principles: first that no-one, even the President, is above the law, and second, that the NPA must be able to do its job without fear, favour or prejudice. South Africa's constitutional democracy depends on them.

Statement issued by James Selfe MP, Chairperson of the DA Federal Executive, August 22 2013

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