Shaik: Zuma failed to differentiate between personal and head of state

Shaik returned to the commission on Tuesday to continue with his testimony.

On Monday, the commission heard that Zuma refused to act when he was alerted to the potential threat posed by the Gupta family by two senior state intelligence officials in 2010.

Shaik told the commission on Tuesday that Zuma’s inability to differentiate between the two created enormous complications.

"So I could understand sitting outside of this, his state of mind, when he hears his friends are getting investigated it's so easy - in his state of mind - to move from ‘Is this another attempt to come towards prosecuting me etc?’ But that would be putting myself in his position."

"Notwithstanding, there came a point in his administration where he could not separate - even in his state of mind - the personal relations to the Guptas from his responsibility as head of the national executive with certain constitutional responsibilities and requirements."

"All things were seen through the same prism and created enormous complications.”

Evidence leader Paul Pretorius asked Shaik whether Zuma was able to carry out his duties as head of state.

"Objectively speaking, did he carry out his duties as executive head accountable constitutionally for intelligence?" 

Shaik responded: "Regrettably not."

The commission also heard that Zuma was blinded by his loyalty to the brothers.

"He was being very loyal to the friendship of the Gupta family, even though this loyalty was causing him embarrassment in his public office.

"The facts did not matter at that point.”