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By Staff reporter 
2h ago
Former president Jacob Zuma told the ANC’s top six during a meeting in early March that the party had left him “out to dry.”
In speech notes compiled by his team, Zuma spoke of his disappointment with the ANC and its leaders.
The meeting was meant to convince Zuma to change his mind about his refusal to appear before the Zondo commission. His first and last appearance in the investigation was in 2019.
Zuma met with the first six in early March and had reportedly spoken for two hours. The meeting notes are 23 pages long.
It begins by explaining the history of the Constitution of South Africa and explains what the vision of democracy in the country was like.
Zuma then explained why he believed the judiciary had begun to move away from its founding vision.
The former president said he was disappointed that the top six of the ANC approached him for a meeting under what he believes were false pretenses. Zuma said the real purpose of the meeting was a public display meant to please outside forces.
“(The meeting) takes place when I have been left dry and without the support I so badly needed from you. I can’t help but feel that the urgency of this meeting is not only about my interests and well-being, but about a response to outside interests., “he said.
Zuma said he had the right to criticize the judiciary and explained that he would not appear in the Zondo commission because he lacks independence.
“I have the right, in terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, to hold and express views, opinions and beliefs about the judiciary.
“I have the right to freedom of conscience and it is my right to conscience that I refuse to participate in the judicial process that seems to lack the attributes of independence,” Zuma said.
The senior leader said that he had never enjoyed freedom since 1994 and that all his problems started after he took office.
He listed the arms sale case, the 2003 charges against the NPA, the rape trial he faced, and the allegations that he aided the Guptas in corrupt deals, as evidence that he had been the subject of unfair accusations.
Zuma told the top six that they had looked the other way when faced with allegations of corruption and about the “lost nine years” of his presidency.
“My own colleagues worked to remove me as president and even worked with the opposition to remove an ANC president from Parliament, something that was unprecedented.
“In more recent years, the ANC has never protected me as I faced unwarranted attacks that I assisted the Guptas to capture the state. You know very well that this is not true, but you let the narrative run,” Zuma said.
The former president also noted that he had been allowed to finance his own legal cases as President Cyril Ramaphosa had revoked the state’s obligations to finance his legal fees.
“As if that were not enough, Mr. President, you decided unfairly and unjustifiably to stop financing my criminal trial. This is contrary to the agreements I had with the State. Comrades, you know very well that stopping legal financing would harm me immensely and I was facing the state with limited resources, ”said Zuma.
He also called on the party for preventing his supporters, who are members of the ANC, from supporting him while he appeared in court.
Zuma told the ANC leadership that he was willing to go to jail instead of being part of the Zondo commission.
“I have decided that I will go to prison if necessary, but I will not succumb to a compromised and politicized judicial system. I will not join you in seeking approval from White Monopoly Capital forces telling you to convince me. This is not a challenge”. against the ANC, but my right to handle my litigation as I see fit, “said Zuma.
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