“I’ll go to jail for Jacob Zuma” – Msholozi’s powerful friends issue warning

Jacob Zuma certainly achieved a lot of “firsts” during his nine years as president. He can now add “being the only leader of South Africa to be slapped with an arrest warrant” to that list. The Pietermaritzburg High Court, exasperated with uBaba’s constant no-shows at his own corruption trial, put their foot down on Tuesday.

A bad day (not) in court for the former president

They rejected the sicknote that was presented by the defence, and told Zuma’s team that their client must appear in court when the trial resumes in May – otherwise, a warrant for his arrest will come into force.

The decision sent shockwaves across the world, but there are a few people closer to home (and JZ’s inner circle) who have already started to fight back.

“I will go to jail for Jacob Zuma”

Executive Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni – and ANC Ekurhuleni Regional Chairperson – Mzwandile Masina has Tweeted his support for the 77-year-old. He told his followers that he is ready to go to jail for Zuma, claiming that history will judge the courts harshly for their treatment of the ex-leader. MK veteran and general Zuma lackey Carl Niehaus also echoed these sentiments:

“Now that the justice has pronounced itself, I’m ready to go to jail for our former President Jacob Zuma, since he is sick and currently receiving medical attention in Cuba. There is no one to blame… History has no blank pages, and indeed, it does have capacity to repeat itself.”

Mzwandile Masina

Thank you comrade @mzwandileMasina I, and many more true comrades, are ready together with you! ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/juD0aV78an

— Carl Niehaus (@niehaus_carl) February 4, 2020

“No-one will arrest Jacob Zuma”

The furious ANC Youth League branch in Free State also vented their frustrations, sharing a statement on the matter via their social media accounts. Reagan Booysen is the provincial secretary for the group, and he made a thinly-veiled threat by suggesting his supporters “would be waiting” for those who try to arrest Jacob Zuma:

“We are not shocked by the nonsensical decision to issue an arrest warrant for Jacob Zuma. They are wasting their time. No-one will arrest him under our watch. These clowns must desist from starting something they cannot handle or manage. We shall be waiting in numbers for them.”

ANC Youth League branch in Free State