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Former President Jacob Zuma before the Zondo Commission in 2019.
- Former President Jacob Zuma reportedly filed a request for disqualification from Supreme Court Vice President Raymond Zondo.
- The application is said to be 100 pages long.
- This comes before Zuma’s scheduled appearance before the commission next week.
Former President Jacob Zuma filed a request for the disqualification of Supreme Court Vice President Raymond Zondo as chairman of the commission of inquiry into the state capture, according to reports.
BusinessLive reported that the application filed, just days before Zuma’s scheduled appearance on the commission, was said to be 100 pages long.
The commission’s secretary, Itumeleng Mosala, recently wrote to Zuma’s lawyers, Mabuza Attorneys, to find out if the former president would appear before the commission on the dates set next week, between November 16 and 20.
News24 previously reported that attorney Eric Mabuza, in response to the commission, stated that the former president had not indicated that he planned to challenge the subpoena that was delivered to him in October.
“You are free to take any step you deem appropriate. The rights of our clients are reserved,” he said in the letter seen by News24.
READ: Zuma has not indicated that he plans to challenge the subpoena, lawyers tell Zondo commission
The heated exchange included Mosala warning Zuma’s attorneys that if they did not clarify whether her client would comply with the subpoena by 12:00 noon Thursday, then the commission would assume that Zuma did not intend to comply, TimesLive reported.
Attempts to reach Mabuza were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
Background
Zuma appeared before the Zondo commission in July last year, but had not returned, citing illness or a prior engagement.
Mabuza told News24 earlier this month that he had received a letter from the commission about whether Zuma would attend.
“They said if we don’t [reply]They will go to the Constitutional Court, “Mabuza said at the time.
Last month, Zuma’s attorney indicated that he could file a request to disqualify Zondo due to a family history between Zondo and Zuma.
Zondo recently cleared the air about Zuma’s claims of a “conflict of interest” and revealed that he had a child with Zuma’s sister-in-law some 25 years ago, long before Zuma married the boy’s aunt, Thobeka Madiba.
News24 sent an inquiry to the commission. The comment will be added once it is received.
– Compiled by Canny Maphanga