Zondo grants order to issue summons for Zuma

"I am going to make the following order: The secretary of the commission is hereby authorised and directed to sign an issue - a summons requiring Mr Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, the former president of the Republic of South Africa to appear before the commission at 10 o'clock on the 16th to the 20th of November," Justice Zondo said on Friday morning. 

Advocate, Paul Pretorius earlier lead an application for an order to authorise the summons.

It comes after the former president refused to appear two weeks ago, saying he was preparing for his corruption trial.

Zuma's legal team later requested that Justice Zondo recuse himself as the chairperson of the commission.

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Pretorius argued that 34 witnesses had implicated Zuma in their testimonies and that the former president's evidence was necessary for the commission's work.

"The commission must conclude its evidence by September, and one of the procedural reason on the issue of the summons is to enable the commission to consider the former president's evidence before the commission ends which is in December. Certainly, the evidence must end by December, to enable you chair to write your report by March next year."

Zondo said he was satisfied with the affidavits presented to him and the submissions made by the commission's counsel.

"I am satisfied that this is a matter in which I should grant the application. I'm satisfied that a proper case has been made out for an order authorising that the sector of the commission should sign an issue - a summons."

The commission also heard that Zuma's reasons for not appearing before the commission are just not good enough.

Zondo said the reasons Zuma's given are vague. 

"It was simply saying he's busy preparing for his criminal trial. It doesn't say when the criminal trial is going to happen."