Zuma Corruption Charges: Zuma“still weighing his options” a full 19 days after judgement

14 July 2016

A reply to a DA parliamentary question has revealed that a full 19 days after the North Gauteng High Court dismissed Jacob Zuma’s leave to appeal, the President is still “weighing his options”. 

This is just the President’s latest delaying tactic, as he has done for more than 7 years now, to avoid having to answer for the 783 charges of corruption, fraud, racketeering and money laundering. 

If the President was serious about justice and the Rule of Law, he would welcome having his day in court, and make a public statement that he is willing to stand trial and defend himself without fear or favour. 

Jacob Zuma should stop being a coward and face the music. South Africans across the country have to do so – he is not any different to them. 

In the absence of any legitimate factual or legal reasons, the DA is of the opinion that these charges were dropped to serve a political agenda. 

It would have been for President Zuma to argue that he was being prosecuted for malicious political reasons and for a competent court to decide on the merits of such representations. It was not for the NPA, acting at the President’s behest, to simply drop the charges without legal basis as confirmed by the High Court in June.

The President must stop dithering, demonstrate that he is committed to the Rule of Law and the Constitution and make himself available for trial once and for all.

Issued by Glynnis Breytenbach, 14 July 2016