State capture inquiry to lay criminal charge against Jacob Zuma

The state capture inquiry will open a criminal case against former president Jacob Zuma for failing to appear before it last month, and will consider further action should he fail to appear again in two weeks’ time.

On Tuesday night, inquiry secretary Prof Itumeleng Mosala confirmed its chairperson, deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo, had instructed him to have the case opened against Zuma.

Mosala slammed the former president for refusing to follow a Constitutional Court order for him to appear before and answer questions at the inquiry.

On Monday Zuma said he would not obey the order and did not fear going to prison should his decision to not co-operate be considered a violation of the law.

“If this stance is considered to be a violation of their law, then let their law take its course. I do not fear being arrested. I do not fear being convicted nor do I fear being incarcerated,” he said.

Mosala said this stance was “completely unacceptable” and showed Zuma “considers himself to be above the law and the constitution”.

“With regard to Mr Zuma’s decision not to appear before the commission during the week of January 18 to 22 2021, as he had been required to do in terms of one of the commission’s summonses served on him, the chairperson [Zondo] has asked the secretary of the commission to lay a criminal complaint against Mr Zuma.

“In terms of one of the summonses issued by the commission, Mr Zuma is required to appear before the commission from February 15 to 19, 2021. The order of the Constitutional Court compels Mr Zuma to comply with that summons.

“Should Mr Zuma carry out his decision not to appear before the commission on February 15 2021 and, therefore, act in breach of the summons and in contempt of the order of the Constitutional Court, the commission will announce on that day what further action it will take in regard to such conduct,” Mosala said.

He said Zuma’s statement “made it clear” he would not obey its summons to appear later this month, and thereby defy the Constitutional Court.

“The constitution expressly provides that an order or decision issued by a court binds all persons to whom it applies. Therefore Mr Zuma is, in terms of the constitution, expressly bound by the order of the Constitutional Court.

“Mr Zuma’s decision that he will defy the order of the country’s highest court and the summons of the commission is completely unacceptable in a constitutional democracy such as ours. This is particularly so when the person making such a decision is a former president of the country who should be exemplary in upholding the rule of law and the constitution,”Mosala said.

In what appeared to be a sideswipe aimed at Zuma, the inquiry secretary said: “It is to be noted that while Mr Zuma refuses to comply with the constitution and to obey the order of the Constitutional Court on the one hand, he continues to enjoy the benefits the constitution grants to all former presidents in terms of his pension and other benefits paid for by the taxpayers.”

Mosala said: “It seems Mr Zuma considers himself to be above the law and the constitution. The commission is concerned that Mr Zuma’s decision to defy the order of the Constitutional Court and the summons of the commission displays a complete disregard for the rights and interests  South Africans have in obtaining comprehensive responses from him to a lot of evidence regarding state capture, corruption and fraud that concern him and others connected with him that relate to his terms of office as president of the country which have been led in the commission over the past three years.”

He said Zuma’s “attacks on the person and integrity of the chairperson” would be dealt with in a separate statement.

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