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Former President Jacob Zuma before the Zondo Commission in 2019 (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)
- Jacob Zuma’s attorney says the outcome of his request for disqualification from Supreme Court Vice President Raymond Zondo “will determine the way forward.”
- Zuma is scheduled to appear before the state capture commission next week, from November 16-20.
- The request for disqualification is scheduled for Monday.
Jacob Zuma’s attorney said nothing about the former president’s scheduled return to the state capture commission next week.
He said the outcome of Supreme Court Vice President Raymond Zondo’s request for recusal “will determine the way forward.”
Eric Mabuza of Mabuza Attorneys told News24 on Friday that the request has yet to be heard.
The commission confirmed that it would hear the request at 10:00 on Monday.
News24 had asked Mabuza for clarity on whether Zuma would appear before the state’s arrest investigation on the set dates of November 16-20, 2020.
Professor Itumeleng Mosala, secretary of the commission, said the summons was delivered to Zuma’s home in Nkandla on October 22.
“It was clarified in the subpoena that if Mr. Zuma made arrangements to testify via a video link and subsequently appeared before the commission using the video link, he would be deemed to have complied with the subpoena.”
He said the commission’s attempts to obtain a clear statement on whether Zuma would comply with the subpoena had been unsuccessful.
“Mr. Zuma’s attorneys informed the commission that Mr. Zuma had not told them that he would challenge the subpoena. The commission, however, made clear its position, that it is obligated to comply with the subpoena and expects him to comply.”
READ | Zuma Files Request for Disqualification of Zondo as Chair of State’s Capture Investigation: Reports
Zuma’s attorneys filed the request for recusal on Wednesday. It was reportedly 100 pages long.
He appeared before the commission in July of last year, but has not returned; cited illness or a previous commitment.
The commission’s chairman, Zondo, recently clarified Zuma’s claims that they had family ties.
He explained that he had a son with Zuma’s sister-in-law about 25 years ago, before the former president married the boy’s aunt, Thobeka Madiba.
