Categories: World News

South Africa’s Jacob Zuma Slams Graft Report As Gossip, Irrational

In this file photo taken on July 04, 2021 Former South African president Jacob Zuma addresses the media in his home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. South Africa’s ex-president Jacob Zuma handed himself in to police late on July 7, 2021 to begin serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court, his foundation said.
Emmanuel Croset / AFP

 

 

South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma, fingered to be a graft enabler, on Saturday rubbished as “unlawful” and “full of gossip” a judicial report detailing how rampant corruption gutted state coffers during his nine-year-tenure.

Known as state capture, the web of corruption hollowed out state companies in the continent’s most advanced economy, to the benefit of a few wealthy individuals and companies.

Zuma’s foundation spokesman Mzwanele Manyi told a media conference Zuma regarded the report as “unlawful and highly irrational”

“It is predictably full of gossip, innuendo and conjecture. It is very short on concrete evidence,” said Manyi.

“The report is therefore a classical case of the fruits of a poisoned tree”.

Zuma himself had been billed to attend the press conference, but his lawyers said they had advised him at the last minute to not attend to avoid violating his parole conditions.

He set up the special probe panel himself, after a damning report by the national ombudswoman about corruption at state enterprises forced his hand.

The report which accuses Zuma of being “a critical player” in the plan to pillage state firms through the Gupta family of business tycoons.

Two of the three Indian migrant brothers who fled the country the same year the corruption probe started four years ago, were arrested earlier this month in Dubai pending extradition to South Africa.

Zuma briefly appeared before the investigators, but walked out and refused to return to answer questions.

His refusal to testify prompted a showdown at the Constitutional Court, which ordered his imprisonment in July 2021 for contempt.

His incarceration sparked riots in which more than 350 people lost their lives — the deadliest unrest of the democratic era in South Africa. He was released after two months on medical parole.

Nebianet Usaini

Disqus Comments Loading...
Share
Published by
Nebianet Usaini
Tags: Jacob Zuma

Recent Posts

Soldiers’ Death: Wanted Delta Monarch Turns Self In

Before he turned himself in to the police, the monarch spoke to journalists, insisting on…

48 mins ago

45 Killed As Bus Plunges Off South Africa Bridge

The vehicle had been heading from neighbouring Botswana to Moria in the north of the…

1 hour ago

CBN Pegs Minimum Capital Base For Banks At ₦500bn 

The apex bank said the new minimum capital base for commercial banks with national authorisation…

2 hours ago

Soldiers’ Killing Oil-Related, DSS Should Lead Probe — Urhobo Leader

The Urhobo leader called for an independent probe into the circumstances that led to the…

3 hours ago

Tyrants Won’t Become Leaders In Parliamentary Democracy — Utomi 

The thought leader noted that thriving democracies in the world practice parliamentary democracy.

3 hours ago

Tinubu Appoints Abdullahi Bello As CCB Chairman 

By the presidential pronouncement, Abdullahi Bello replaces Aliyu Kankia, who has been the acting Chairman…

4 hours ago