South Africa: NPA appeal on Zuma ruling ill-considered, says ANC
Posted by africanpress on September 21, 2008
Johannesburg (South Africa) – The National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) decision to appeal against the Pietermaritzburg High Court ruling on Jacob Zuma is ill-considered, the African National Congress said on Wednesday.
“The decision suggests that personal pride, rather than reason, is driving the actions of the NPA,” the party said in a statement. “The decision … is cynical and ill-considered,” the ANC said. “By not accepting the court’s ruling, the NPA has lost a valuable opportunity to bring the relentless pursuit of Jacob Zuma to an end.”
Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Chris Nicholson ruled last week that an NPA decision to prosecute the ANC president was invalid. Zuma faced 16 charges, which included racketeering, corruption and fraud in a case in which French arms company Thint also faced corruption charges for allegedly bribing him for protection during an arms-deal probe. Nicholson said there was some merit in Zuma’s contention that there was a political conspiracy tied to rivalry between himself and President Thabo Mbeki.
Meanwhile, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has warned of mass strikes in response to the NPA’s decision to appeal Zuma ruling. Cosatu’s KwaZulu-Natal secretary, Zet Luzipho, said at a media briefing in Durban on Wednesday: “The fact that NPA wants to continue this case … is a declaration of war on our people.”
He said each time the NPA takes Zuma to court, the masses will strike. “And it won’t only be on the day of the court case, but also before he goes to court,” Luzipho said.
The NPA on Wednesday said it has studied Nicholson’s judgement declaring Zuma’s prosecution invalid, and has taken senior counsel’s advice. “Consequently, we have decided to apply for leave to appeal against the judgement. The NPA has yet to make a decision on whether to re-charge Mr Zuma.”
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille said on Wednesday that the NPA’s decision to appeal the ruling shows it takes its duty to the public seriously.
“The DA notes the decision by the NPA to appeal the judgement in the Pietermaritzburg High Court that Jacob Zuma’s prosecution was invalid. If there is a prima facie case against Jacob Zuma, the NPA is legally bound to explore every legal avenue to ensure justice is done,” she said.
“Any suggestion that the decision to appeal is a cynical move must be rejected with contempt. On the contrary, it shows that the NPA takes its duty to the South African public seriously and that it won’t be intimidated by Zuma and his acolytes,” Zille said.
“The Zuma camp’s jubilation has been premature. Judge Nicholson’s judgement was not a vindication or an acquittal of Jacob Zuma. There is a large cloud over Jacob Zuma’s head. As he has repeatedly stated, he needs to defend himself in a court of law where the evidence can be presented. It is therefore in the interest of all South Africans that he withdraws his candidature for the presidency until his guilt or innocence has been established in court,” Zille said.
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API/Source.SABC (South Africa)
