Zuma tells Mogoeng he won’t depose to Constitutional Court

One thing you’ve got to admire about former president Jacob Zuma, he definitely is consistent – in his flagrant disregard for the Constitutional Court that is. Zuma has once again launched a scathing attack on the Constitutional Court and further refused to make submissions, as per directed by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.

Mogoeng had asked Zuma to file an affidavit, in which he was meant to specify an appropriate form of punishment towards him for defying an order by the same court. The apex court had ruled that Zuma must appear before the State Capture Commission, following what some have described as delaying tactics.

Jacob Zuma vs the Constitutional Court

Wednesday, 14 April 2021, was the deadline for Jacob Zuma to respond to Mogoeng, but instead of submitting the affidavit, he pens a 21-page letter to him and labels the CJ’s directives as a complete sham and “political gimmicks.”

“At the outset, I must state that I did not participate in the proceedings before the Constitutional Court and view the directives as nothing but a stratagem to clothe its decision with some legitimacy. Further, in directing me to depose to an affidavit, the chairperson of the commission, as the applicant, and some politically interested groups styled as amicus curie are given the right of rebuttal. That is in my view not a fair procedure in circumstances where my rights under sections 10, 11 and 12 of the Constitution are implicated,” Zuma said.

“I am resigned to being a prisoner of the Constitutional Court because it is clear to me that the Constitutional Court considers the Zondo Commission to be central to our national life and the search for the national truth on the state of governance during my presidency. It has also become clear to me that even though the Constitutional Court has no jurisdiction Deputy Chief Justice Zondo was determined to place the matter before judges who serve as his subordinates in order to obtain the order he wants”

Former president Jacob Zuma

Zuma further slammed the commission for ignoring the fact that there is a pending application in the Gauteng High Court, seeking to review chairperson Raymond Zondo’s refusal to recuse himself from the proceedings.

The commission had wanted a two year prison sentence to be imposed on Zuma. The Constitutional Court has reserved judgement in the matter.