By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Constitutional Court will hear an application by the state capture inquiry to have former president Jacob Zuma declared to be in contempt of court for defying a summons to testify on March 25.
The commission launched the application last week after Zuma failed to appear before it. It wants the former president to be jailed for defying two summons sent to him in January and February.
The Concourt said on Monday Zuma, the minister of police and the national police commissioner must file answering papers, if any, by March 8.
The court directed that written submissions must be lodged by the commission on or before March 12 and by the respondents on or before March 19. It said the hearing would take place on a virtual platform.
Commission secretary Professor Itumeleng Mosala said in his application that Zuma had committed a number of contemptuous acts, among others, making “scurrilous statements” against the Concourt and the judiciary.
It is still unclear whether Zuma, who left to visit the kingdom of Eswatini on Sunday, had instructed his lawyers to act or if he would not oppose the application.
He previously said he was ready to be jailed and that his defiance was a political statement against an unjust judiciary system he alleges is persecuting him for political reasons.
The commission is probing allegations of state capture during the Zuma presidency between 2009 and 2018.
Meanwhile the Jacob Zuma Foundation issued a statement today attacking the State Capture Commission and its chairperson, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
The foundation alleged that Justice Zondo, who Zuma wanted to recuse himself, was continuing with his “agenda” against the former president.
The statement of the foundation was triggered by Mosala’s submission, where he asked the Concourt to be firm when it decides to penalise Zuma for his defiance.