[imagesource: Phill Magakoe/Pool Photo via AP]
Jacob Zuma may recently have said that he was willing to go to prison as a “conscientious objector”, in relation to his refusal to appear before the Zondo Commission, but he’s changed his tune.
Via the Jacob G Zuma Foundation, the former president released a damning statement regarding the Constitutional Court’s ruling, calling it “judicially emotional and not consistent with our constitution”.
He also likened the Zondo Commission to a “slaughterhouse”.
Please begin playing the world’s smallest violin at this point.
It’s now being reported by TimesLIVE that Zuma, in a late attempt to avoid prison, will file court papers at the Constitutional Court today, which will include an application for rescission of judgment:
An order of the ConCourt may not be appealed. However, ConCourt rules incorporate the Uniform Rules of Court, which apply to all courts.
Rule 42 says a court may “rescind or vary an order or judgment erroneously sought or erroneously granted in the absence of any party affected thereby”.
According to his daughter, the former president has been hard at work:
Working Late With @PresJGZuma Seriously Studying The Documents pic.twitter.com/7WHfIpuGXv
— Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) July 1, 2021
Strangely, on the day the sentence was announced, Zuma-Sambudla suggested her father had no fear, adding that the family would “Escourt” him to serve his time.
It appears she has had a change of heart:
We are descendants of Shaka Zulu.
We are first going to deal with these idiots that have been sent by WMC to come and piss in our backyard, and then because you provoked us, we are coming for our land…and we will start in Stellenbosch… pic.twitter.com/VI43gKzxrf— Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) July 2, 2021
Definitely nothing to see here:
Iziqhumane ZaKwaZulu…Silindile #Nkandla pic.twitter.com/uuPpFKtpWe
— Dudu Zuma-Sambudla (@DZumaSambudla) July 1, 2021
Zuma’s legal team, which is led by advocate Dali Mpofu, will also turn to the Pietermaritzburg High Court:
Important:
Zuma will apply to the ConCourt for a recission of the ruling that he be imprisoned for contempt.
He will simultaneously ask the PMB High Court to stay his arrest, pending the determination of that recission application. https://t.co/XI86Z3wWBn— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) July 2, 2021
He was never going to go quietly into the night, and here we go.
For more on what the above legalese means, here’s an explainer of sorts:
If Zuma is not successful, he will be remanded to the Westville Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal to serve his sentence.
The Constitutional Court has also instructed police minister Bheki Cele and national police commissioner Khehla Sitole to lawfully ensure the former president is taken into custody within three days.
At some point this weekend, we will be hearing from the man himself:
To: ALL MEDIA and the People of South Africa.
President Zuma will definitely address the nation this weekend. pic.twitter.com/HAhi8DbCXM— JGZuma Foundation (Official) (@JGZ_Foundation) July 2, 2021
Actually, that’s former president Zuma, thank you very much.
We are also due for some fireworks from Carl Niehaus, who will hold a press conference at 4PM outside the gates of Nkandla.
He says he’s speaking on behalf of the MKMVA National Executive Committee, but the ANC announced last month that the party had disbanded the MKMVA.
So Carl will be wearing his fake military regalia, speaking on behalf of an association that no longer exists – par for the course.
Who knows what happens between now and Monday, but at the very least, seeing the Constitutional Court stand up for the rule of law is worth celebrating.
Cartoonist Zapiro is certainly enjoying himself, with this published on The Daily Maverick:
He really played the long game with that one, titled ‘Justice Takes Time’, which references what is perhaps his most infamous cartoon of all time, published in September 2008.
The graphic cartoon, labelled ‘Rape of Lady Justice’, grabbed headlines around the world, and alluded to various threats made against the judiciary by Zuma and his political allies:
Here we are, almost 13 years later, and (for now at least) Lady Justice has had the last laugh.
[sources:timeslive&dailymaverick]
