No charges against Zuma - presidency

The presidency has responded to a statement that called for the president to "be brought before court".

Cape Town - The presidency on Thursday pointed out that there were no criminal charges pending against South African President Jacob Zuma, in response to an opposition statement that, like the AbaThembu king, he should be brought before court.

The presidency said a statement to this effect by the Congress of the People (Cope) was misleading and opportunistic.

Cope had also suggested that Zuma had been manipulating the criminal justice system to prevent corruption charges against him being reinstated.

“This is a complete lie and serious fabrication,” the presidency said.

“There are no criminal charges pending against President Zuma. The charges against the president were withdrawn in 2009 by the then acting National Director of Public Prosecutions. Saying the president must answer to some non-existent charges before court in light of the King Dalindyebo matter is opportunistic and mischievous.”

The Democratic Alliance has for six years been waging a court battle to overturn the decision to drop several hundred charges stemming from the country’s 1999 arms procurement programme against Zuma.

The DA has long made a contention that Zuma has sought to ensure that key players in the prosecution service are sympathetic to him, in the event that a court order a review of the decision to withdraw the charges.

King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo on Wednesday began serving a 12-year jail sentence for crimes dating back to the 1990s.

African News Agency