By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Jacob Zuma Foundation has announced that the former president will challenge the findings of Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s State Capture Commission, as far as they relate to him.
Zuma also wants the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to investigate Zondo for allegedly making “grossly unlawful comments” in the state capture report related to his release on medical parole last year, by the former national commissioner for correctional service, Arthur Fraser.
The commission’s chair, Zondo, handed the report to President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday evening at the Union Buildings, Pretoria.
The foundation’s spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi made the announcement on Saturday during a press conference, in absentia of Zuma.
This follows four years of public hearings which saw more than 330 witnesses give evidence into how the state was allegedly captured by Zuma and the Guptas.
Zuma’s lawyer advocate Dali Mpofu said the former president was in Johannesburg, but was advised not to address the commission’s findings publicly due to his parole conditions.
Manyi described the report as “unlawful and irrational” and outlined a number of steps Zuma intended to take, which included challenging Zondo’s appointment as Chief Justice.
He also reiterated Zuma’s complaints about the establishment of the state capture commission and Zondo’s appointment as its chairperson, even though the courts have already ruled on this.
The commission made damning findings against Zuma, saying he enabled corruption and state capture by his close associates, the controversial Gupta brothers, through the looting of billions of rands via government contracts.
Zuma and former state security minister Siyabonga Cwele were also accused of halting an investigation by the Hawks into former spy boss Arthur Fraser, paving the way for him to later be appointed director-general of the State Security Agency and Correctional Services commissioner.
In return, Fraser later ensured Zuma’s early release from prison on medical parole when the former president was jailed for contempt of court for failing to adhere to a Constitutional Court ruling that he appear before the commission.
Zondo also found that Zuma’s son, Duduzane, acted as a “conduit” between the Guptas and government.
He recommended that law enforcement agencies further investigate Zuma and others, with a view to possible prosecution for corruption and other charges.
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Video Courtesy of ENCA.