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By Sihle Mavuso 
6h ago
Durban – The state capture investigation chaired by Supreme Court Vice President Raymond Zondo has come under fire from supporters of Jacob Zuma, who accuse it of “targeting” the former president.
Zuma supporters, who have rallied under the banner of Gauteng’s Radical Economic Transformation and President Zuma’s Support Group, said Monday’s press conference on Zondo was aimed at demonizing Zuma.
During the conference, Zondo announced that he was unwilling to negotiate appearance dates with Zuma or his attorneys and set November 16-20 this year as the time the former president should appear before the commission.
He said the appearance would allow Zuma to respond to all who have implicated him while testifying before the commission.
The advocacy group’s fight on this is contained in a lengthy critical statement issued Tuesday in which they claimed that Zondo and his commission appear to be concerned about getting Zuma to appear before him while letting others walk free.
“Judge Zondo had never before seen fit to address the arrangements for witnesses to appear before his commission through press conferences, but he deemed it appropriate to target President Zuma for such special and disrespectful treatment.
“In fact, this is the second time that Judge Zondo has seen fit to do so, as he had also previously addressed the matter of President Zuma who testified before the commission when the commission’s work began,” the statement read.
Zuma supporters claimed that Zondo made “lame excuses” for his decision to broach the matter through a press conference rather than broach it with Zuma or his lawyers, as the commission’s secretariat has done with others who requested your attention or presence.
“In holding yesterday’s (Monday) press conference, Judge Zondo made the flimsiest of excuses, namely that he had questions from the media about the future appearance of President Zuma, and that he wanted to address them. The question arises, since when have questions from the media marked the Commission’s work agenda?
“The Gauteng RET President Zuma Support Group had done our homework (sic) and established that various media houses have sent questions to the commission asking about the future appearance of the minister (of public companies) (Pravin) Gordhan before it, but these questions han failed to get Judge Zondo to rush to a press conference, ”the supporters alleged.
Supporters also questioned why Zondo and his secretariat were ignoring requests to testify from people like Brian Molefe, the former CEO of Eskom, and Lucky Montana, the former CEO of PRASA, but were jumping on Zuma.
“The only rush, and urgency, to have a very specific witness before him seems to be uniquely reserved for President Zuma.
“Obviously, the Commission has specific people it is targeting, and the appearance of witnesses before the Commission are not moments of equal opportunity.
“It is clear that the main target that the Commission and its President have in their sights, and that they are literally pursuing, is President Zuma.”
The commission’s spokesman, the Rev. Mbuyiselo Stemela, said they would respond in due course.
Political Bureau
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