Zuma hits back at Zondo, accuses judiciary of fighting political battles
Former president Jacob Zuma has stuck to his guns after he failed to appear before the commission of inquiry into state capture on Monday.
Since it was established in 2018, several witnesses gave testimony of Zuma’s role in siphoning millions from government coffers.
The commission summoned Zuma to account for the allegations.
He appeared in 2019 but refused to return for further cross-examination.
The matter has since escalated to the Constitutional Court, the highest court in the land.
Despite the apex court’s decision to compel the 78-year-old to testify this week, Zuma again snubbed the commission.
In a separate attempt to hear Zuma’s side of the story, the commission revealed plans to apply to the Constitutional Court to impose a jail term on former President Jacob Zuma.
In a statement on Monday evening, Zuma claimed the judiciary had been compromised.
He added he believes the judiciary had been roped into political battles.
“Ordinarily I should have the faith to approach the chairperson of the commission or our courts to seek whatever remedy would stay the proceedings until my review is determined. However, the antipathy of some of the courts and the commission towards me has made it futile for me to exercise my constitutionally guaranteed access to courts.
“Not only will I be dismissed, but I will also be punished with punitive costs for approaching the courts,” he wrote.
“As you sharpen your pens to condemn me, I reiterate that I stand by my earlier statement and will not appear before a process that is not impartial. I stand by the decision not to forsake the law and our Constitution. I choose to protest in order to restore our constitutionally enshrined principle of an independent judiciary.”