President Jacob Zuma Must Personally Pay Up for Failed #StateCapture Legal Fees
PRETORIA – In a historic move, President Jacob Zuma has been ordered to personally pay the costs for his failed interdict application last year… when he tried unsuccessfully to stop the release of the Public Protector’s ‘State of Capture’ report. In a unanimous judgment, President Zuma has been ordered to personally pay costs the costs […]
PRETORIA – In a historic move, President Jacob Zuma has been ordered to personally pay the costs for his failed interdict application last year… when he tried unsuccessfully to stop the release of the Public Protector’s ‘State of Capture’ report.
In a unanimous judgment, President Zuma has been ordered to personally pay costs the costs ordered on 1 November 2016, to avoid a burden to South African tax payers.
The SA President had submitted the application just before the report was released in 2016, claiming he had not been given the opportunity to respond to the allegations in the Report.
Zuma later withdrew the application as it was about to be heard.
Opposition parties, including the EFF (watch below), applied to the High Court in Pretoria for Zuma to pay the costs personally for the failed attempt.
Judge President Dustan Mlambo said on Wednesday morning: “In the final analysis, the president’s overall conduct leaves one with no option to find that he must be held personally liable for all the costs that were occasioned from 14 October 2016 when it was stated that the previous Public Protector had finalised the investigation and signed the report.”
He said it was “unreasonable for the president to continue with his stance that the report was not final, and unreasonable not to seek clarification from the Public Protector.”
He also said Zuma had disregarded the PP’s duties and pointed out that all parties had accepted the Report was final, other than the President.
The court convened again at 11h30 for the second judgment regarding the State of Capture Report Review application by President Zuma. Former PP, Thuli Madonsela, is in court. Watch live below. (UPDATE: High Court dismisses President Zuma’s State Capture Review Application.)
#StateCapture former PP Thuli Madonsela also in court for 2nd judgement – the state of capture report review application by President Zuma #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/qTacBOGMS7
— Sipho Stuurman (@Sipho_Stuurman) December 13, 2017
#StateCapture ruling on Number 1. Damning judgement.Zuma to personally pay costs.Well done #DaliMpofu for UDM for ur insistence & leadership
— Bantu Holomisa (@BantuHolomisa) December 13, 2017