The DA welcomes the arrest of Jacob Zuma, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg

8 July 2021

Note to Editors: Please find attached a soundbite by the Leader of the DA John Steenhuisen MP.

The DA welcomes the arrest and incarceration of former president Jacob Zuma, as he starts his 15 month prison sentence for contempt of court.

This is an important victory for the Rule of Law in South Africa, and sends a message to all those who have aligned themselves with the Zuma faction and who have become emboldened by his dismissive attitude, that the law cannot be mocked and challenged with impunity. If the leader can go to prison, then so can anyone.

Last night was a warning flare for the architects of State Capture and the handmaidens of Zuma. They must know that the DA will pursue them as doggedly as we did Zuma. And they must also know that this 15 month sentence is merely the tip of the iceberg. The contempt of court charge, while serious, does not represent his actual crimes against the people of South Africa, and we must still see justice for the charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and racketeering.

We are relieved that his eventual late night arrest went ahead without violence, despite all the bluster and war talk of his supporters and family. However, this doesn’t mean we should not take their threats seriously. Zuma might be behind bars, but the RET gang still has many other senior ANC leaders in its ranks - many of whom still serve in President Ramaphosa’s cabinet or occupy ANC benches in the National Assembly and other legislatures - and their fightback is guaranteed.

Last night’s arrest also confirms that, while Zuma might have done untold damage to many of our institutions of democracy throughout the ANC’s State Capture project, the one institution that has managed to remain largely intact is our independent judiciary. This is something we need to guard fiercely, as it is the final bulwark against a government or state that thinks it can act with impunity.

There are still several loose ends that must be tied up, most notably the unprecedented letter sent by the Police Minister to the Constitutional Court in which he claimed that neither he nor the Police Commissioner would press for Zuma’s arrest until all the frivolous legal actions had been exhausted or until directly instructed by the court to do so. They didn’t need this, as their instruction was already clear and unambiguous. Minister Cele needs to come and explain in Parliament his reluctance to do his job.

The Rule of Law and our Constitution have been under relentless attack of late, and we now need an unequivocal statement by the President that no such future assaults on our democracy will be tolerated. The DA will pledge to continue its vigilance which has played no small role in the deliverance of the current outcome in the ongoing Zuma saga.

Zuma’s arrest last night was a small step in the right direction. But the real fight to reclaim our country from predatory politicians who have robbed from the people to enrich themselves and their networks has only just started.

Issued by John Steenhuisen, Leader of the Democratic Alliance, 8 July 2021