Image: THULANI MBELE
The fate of former president Jacob Zuma’s testimony before the state capture inquiry has been left up in the air – the commission now adjourning until Friday to allow for Zuma’s legal team and that of the commission to come to an agreement on how to proceed.
This came after Zuma, during his third day before the inquiry on Wednesday, said he had a problem with commission evidence leader Paul Pretorius’s line of questioning.
Zuma was being quizzed on allegations by former public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan that he, in 2009, insisted on the appointment of Siyabonga Gama as Transnet CEO.
The commission was asking Zuma questions about the normal procedure when it comes to the appointment of executives at state-owned entities.
“I am being made to go through the details that are the details of the officials and expected to remember every other detail on work that is generally done by director-generals and officials,” Zuma said.
“I am not an officer or cabinet secretary.
“The manner in which I am being asked questions on the details that I can’t even remember properly because I was not working on those details.”
His lawyer, Muzi Sikhakhane, then jumped in.
“I have a view that my client was brought in here under false pretences and I need him to make up his mind if he wants to be cross-examined.
“Now it’s clear to me he is being cross-examined on what people say,” he said, requesting an adjournment.
After the adjournment, which lasted about an hour, commission chair judge Raymond Zondo adjourned the proceedings until Friday.
“There were still discussions going on,” Zondo said.
“As you know, we adjourned because the former president had expressed certain concerns with regard to the details or questions he was being asked, and his counsel expressed those concerns as well and requested an adjournment so that the former president and his legal team could reflect on the situation.
“There has been a discussion involving me and the legal team of the commission as well as the legal team for the former president.
“Both sides made certain suggestions which I have agreed to. This commission would like to make sure that, as far as possible, it takes everybody on board.”
He said he was confident a resolution would be found.
“It has been decided that we should adjourn the proceedings for the day and we should not sit tomorrow in order to give a full opportunity to the commission’s legal team and the former president’s legal team to see whether a way can be found in which his concerns are addressed,” Zondo said.
During his testimony on Wednesday, Zuma denied he had insisted Gama be appointed as Transnet’s group CEO.
Hogan previously told the commission that she met Zuma a month into her appointment in 2009 to discuss issues, especially that of appointing a permanent group executive.
After an extensive process, Transnet’s board recommended Sipho Maseko, but Zuma apparently would not have it.
“He would not hear of any candidate except Siyabonga Gama. I informed him that Gama was facing some serious misconduct charges,” she said.
“He then said to me ‘you may not appoint anyone to the board’ ... until Gama’s disciplinary is over.”
Zuma told the commission he could not recall saying those things to Hogan.