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Malema: NPA Must Drop Zuma Charges |
| Publication |
Cape Argus |
| Date | 2009-01-15 |
| Reporter | Sapa |
|
Web Link |
The National Prosecuting Authority must "save
the country" by dropping graft charges against presidential front-runner Jacob
Zuma *1, the ANC's youth leader said on Thursday.
"We are not retreating from our call that the NPA must drop charges because
there are no winnable charges against the
president of the ANC," said African National Congress Youth League leader Julius
Malema.
"They [the NPA] must save this country, they must act in the interest of the
country, they must drop the charges and then we proceed," Malema told reporters
in Johannesburg.
He was briefing the media on the ANCYL's reaction to a Supreme Court of Appeal
judgment on Monday which in effect saw corruption, fraud, money laundering and
racketeering charges re-instituted against Zuma.
Malema said the ANC would not amend the
Constitution to protect Zuma from a trial *2.
"We're not going to agree to any changing of the Constitution to
accommodate an individual. This is the Constitution of the people of South
Africa. It will never be amended to suit an individual.
"We don't think our president will be in and out of courts when he becomes
president of the republic... But what is wrong
with the president of the country being in and out of court? *4" asked
Malema.
"There is nothing wrong. He's a citizen of this country.
If there is any issue, he must answer *4.
For as long as it's still an allegation, we don't see anything wrong, not at
all," said Malema.
ANC spokesperson Carl Niehaus confirmed that the ruling party would not seek a
legal amendment to protect Zuma.
"There's no intention to changing the Constitution whatsoever," said Niehaus.
"I'd spoken my tongue blunt on this... we will seek
a legal answer, not a political solution."
Malema said another possibility was to apply for a permanent stay of
prosecution.
"The permanent stay is also an option. Most of the issues that Judge Nicholson
mentioned in the judgment... we think they will equally again suit very well on
the permanent stay," he said, referring to Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge
Chris Nicholson's ruling which was this week overturned by the SCA.
"On the permanent stay, we are going to argue... The political events which make
us... suspect that our president will not get a fair trial."
The Nicholson judgment also inferred there was political meddling in the
decision to re-charge Zuma, a finding that ultimately led to the axing of
president Thabo Mbeki.
Malema warned that "dark forces"*5 were
at work*6 against Zuma and implied that
the five judges of the SCA had been influenced in their judgment in favour of
the NPA.
"Judges can be spoken to by any other person, knowing the tendency of these ones
who are against us. They [the 'dark forces']
travel at night *7. They've got the potential to do anything...
"Courts must be above political games. They must not interfere."
He added, however, that the ANCYL had "confidence in the courts but it doesn't
mean you can't criticise".
Asked who the "dark forces" behind the so-called
political conspiracy against Zuma were, Malema replied: "They have left the ANC.
Those are the forces who are working on us. Those that have left this
organisation *7.
"They were doing it from within. They failed. Then they left. They're
doing it form outside now because they think they can mobilise our people
against this glorious movement and they are working with the
imperialists *9, the
former colonisers *10, to try and
destabilise this country.
"It's an agenda to destabilise liberation movements in Africa."
Malema said former ANC chairman, Terror Lekota, who has since started the
breakaway movement, the Congress of the People, had held meetings in Namibia and
Kenya with politicians who share his sentiments.
They were "imperialist agents", said
Malema.
"Their moves are well-calculated... They are well-resourced.
Don't underestimate a man who is well-resourced
in a capitalist society *11," he added. - Sapa
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