[FILE] President Jacob Zuma speaks at the Unveiling of the Tombstone of the late H.E Bavumile Vilakazi held at Vanderbijlpark, Ekurhuleni.South Africa. 06/08/2011. Photo: File.
Jacob Zuma no-show at media briefing he called to respond to State Capture report
Former president Jacob Zuma was advised against appearing at the State Capture Report media briefing on Saturday at the last minute.
[FILE] President Jacob Zuma speaks at the Unveiling of the Tombstone of the late H.E Bavumile Vilakazi held at Vanderbijlpark, Ekurhuleni.South Africa. 06/08/2011. Photo: File.
Former Jacob Zuma was meant to appear in person at a media briefing he called to respond to State Capture Report issued by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
ZUMA NO-SHOW AT MEDIA BRIEFING
Zondo handed the final State Capture Report chapter to President Cyril Ramaphosa this week. The complete report is the culmination of a four-year commission of inquiry into state capture. Zuma and the notorious Gupta brothers are the main characters of the document – so to speak.
Despite his foundation spokesperson‘s Mzwanele Manyi assurances, Zuma himself was not present at the Sandton hotel on Saturday, 25 June.
When the media briefing was called, Zuma’s foundation said his camp would respond to the report and announce plans of action going forward.
Advocate Dali Mpofu – who heads Zuma’s legal team – explained that the embattled former president was not present because his legal team advised him not to come due to his parole conditions.
Mpofu said the legal team reached an agreement with the relevant officials on Friday night and received permission for Zuma to appear in person on the condition that he will not interact with the media.
However, on Saturday morning, the legal team decided against him appearing in person. The former president is in the Johannesburg area, said Mpofu, as that is where his team’s discussions are taking place.
Manyi is reading the response to Zondo’s “unlawful and irrational” State Capture Report to the media.
The briefing continues.
