Publication: Business Day Issued: Date: 2006-11-07 Reporter: Karima Brown Reporter: Amy Musgrave

ANC Allies Insist Verdict No Basis to Pursue Zuma

 

Publication 

Business Day
Date 2006-11-07

Reporter

 Karima Brown, Amy Musgrave

Web Link

www.businessday.co.za

 

Political parties were divided in their reaction to the Supreme Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold Schabir Shaik’s fraud and corruption conviction yesterday.

While opposition parties welcomed the judgment, calling on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to recharge Jacob Zuma, the ruling party’s allies warned against using this outcome as a basis to further prosecute Zuma.

Democratic Alliance justice spokeswoman Shiela Camerer said the verdict was extraordinarily significant, not only for Shaik, but also for the country.

“The fact that the painstakingly thorough judgment of Judge Hilary Squires on all three counts against Shaik was upheld strikes a blow for the rule of law, and the fact that the minimum sentence of 15 years has been upheld sends a strong message that corrupt dealings do not pay.

“Following the striking-off of the case against Zuma two months ago, today’s verdict gives Zuma a true opportunity to have his day in court,” she said.

Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille, who first raised public alarm over arms- deal corruption, said the judgment vindicated her.

“The De Lille dossier has brought down the second powerful crook in the arms-deal saga. This judgment proves our judiciary is independent and that we are all equal before the law.”

She appealed to the NPA to investigate the information in her dossier further.

African Christian Democratic Party justice spokesman Steven Swart said the judgment showed that even the “politically connected” were not above the law. Shaik was Zuma’s financial adviser.

The Young Communist League said that if Zuma was charged again, then so should President Thabo Mbeki “because his name keeps on being mentioned in the arms deal”.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions rejected any suggestion that the court’s endorsement of the judge’s finding that Shaik had a “generally corrupt” relationship with Zuma meant that there was now a stronger case against Zuma.

It said that to suggest the dismissal of the Shaik appeal meant that Zuma must automatically now be prosecuted amounted to a “malicious witch hunt”.

African National Congress (ANC) Youth League spokesman Zizi Kodwa said: “No inference must be drawn as this judgment was with respect to Shaik.

“No court of law has found the ANC deputy president guilty of any wrongdoing.” *1

With acknowledgements to Karima Brown, Amy Musgrave and Business Day.


*1      The High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal have found that corrupt payments were paid and that the ANC deputy president accepted these payments.

The High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal have found that these corrupt payments were made to induce the Republic's deputy president to act in conflict with the duties imposed upon the latter by the terms of sections 96(2) and 136(2) of the Constitution.

Only a pair of jackasses prevented the deputy president from being found guilty by the same courts.

Their conduct should be investigated with a view to taking legal action.