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By Baldwin Ndaba 
1 hour ago
JOHANNESBURG – Former President Jacob Zuma will find out on Thursday if his request to disqualify Supreme Court Vice President Raymond Zondo as chairman of the State Capture Investigation Commission is upheld.
Judge Zondo, who was due to issue his decision on Wednesday, postponed his decision twice as he was still studying documents to carefully consider the issues.
Zondo said that if he did rule against Zuma, he would be expected to take the stand and respond to various witnesses who had allegedly linked him to the state capture while he was head of state.
Zuma made the formal request this week, arguing that Zondo, through the commission, had lined up hostile witnesses to testify against him since the commission began its work two years ago.
In his request, Zuma argued that they had used the commission to sell “lies” that he was responsible for the state capture.
He also argued that Judge Zondo treated some of these witnesses, including Public Enterprise Minister Pravin Gordhan, with goat gloves, saying that Gordhan was portrayed “as a transmitter of the universal truth of the state’s capture.”
Advocate for the leader of the evidence Paul Pretorius said that Zuma had not presented evidence to show that Zondo was biased against him or that the judge had prejudged the matter.
After the proceedings ended on Tuesday, Zuma, through his legal counsel, attorney Muzi Sikhakhane, asked Judge Zondo for an opportunity to react to a statement the president made before hearing the request. In the statement, Judge Zondo said he had no relationship with Zuma.
Political Bureau
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