The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of South Africa has this morning decided to discontinue the prosecution of Mr Jacob Zuma and the other two entities jointly charged with him: Thint (Pty) and Thint Holding (Southern Africa) (Pty) Ltd. This is the culmination of the almost 9-year contentious attempt to have Jacob Zuma, arguably the most popular politician in South Africa today, behind bars.
The announcement was made by the Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Mokotedi Mpshe after a serious perusal of the submission by Mr Jacob Zuma's legal team in which recorded evidence of abuse of the legal process by the former head of the the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO), Advocate Leonard McCarthy was provided.
From excepts of the intercepted telephonic conversation between Adv Leonard McCarthy and
the former head of the NPA, Avocate Bulelani Ngcuka(who is linked to the former president, Mr Thabo Mbeki), there appears to have been a strong case of interference by the executive in the case.
Now the man who is most certainly set to become the next president of South Africa is home and dry. The ANC and Mr Jacob Zuma can now finish off the elections campaign on a moral high ground.
However, as expected, the decision to discontinue the case has raised alarm in the opposition parties with many alleging political deals in smokey room by the ruling party, the ANC.
I suspect the whole case and the alleged political interference in the case will lead to further charges when the new government is constituted after this month's elections.
Whilst I don't expect a judicial enquiry into the mother of the whole saga, the arms deal, I suspect a committee will have to be established to ascertain how the conversation of the officials in question were tapped and who orchestrated the whole agenda to sabotage and block Jacob Zuma's presidential ambitions.
Now it appears that the hunter(s) has become the hunted.
Only God knows how the whole case will play out. The supporters of Mr Zuma will do everything possible to turn the tables on those who tried so hard to crucify and bury their man. After such a resurrection at a time so close to Easter, Mr Zuma probably was prophetic in comparing his case to the prosecution and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray and hope that the Jacob Zuma presidency will manage to fulfill the enormous aspirations of the majority of the population of South Africa and lay to rest this sad episode of South African politics.
Good Luck Msholozi!!
8 comments:
I would hate democracy if it were to be forced to move towards any direction by the likes of Malema threatening to "kill" for Zuma. I would be delighted if this decision was a true execution of justice.
There is a formidable population of Zuma supporters who were hell-bent on having the case against him thrown out.
It seems to me that they have managed to achieve their dream.
Let us wait to see the real motivation behind the NPA's decision. The problem I have is that many people here think that there is no way South Africa will ever go the way of other African countries because of the exceptionalism of South Africa. The truth however is quite different. The systematic implimentation of measures aimed at weakening democratic institutions is a sure way for a country to fall flat on her face.
The Good Book says "he that thinks he stand must be careful lest he falls".
How I feel: in all that has happened, maybe the "new" NPA has detected political interference in the steps that would have led to the prosecution of Zuma. But, nobody has made the allegations of corruption go away. As far as I am concerned, Zuma is probably vindicated that somebody wanted to victimise him, but he has not answered the original charges go away. I cannot say I revere him.
*Yikes* A sad day for South Africa, Africa, the rule of law and democracy.
Yes NY,
I agree with you.
Whilst JZ may not be squeaky clean in the matters of the charges drawn against his name, it appears to me that there is ample evidence pointing to ulterior motives behind the supreme 'zeal and diligence' to hunt him down.
The primary design was to individualise his role in the arms deal and thereby compel him to go walk away from politics altogether. When he refused to yield to the pressures, everything was done(including malicious) to point out exclusively his sins from the concealed sins of the collective.
The best way to deal with the whole saga is to open up the stinking arms deal for public scrutiny.
Alas, that is the only thing all the factions in the ANC agree on: that it should never ever be allowed.
The stinking root has been left untouched, while volumes of air freshners are being needlessly sprayed at the problem.
So forthright, Abena!
With the ousting of Tiboz, the doors were opened not just to release JZ from the gallows but to completely bulldoze every bit of the gallows for the sole purpose of letting their man out. A classical case of throwing out the bath with the baby.
The resulting sycophancy and factionalism after Polokwane led to purging of Tiboz remnants and consequently the foundation was laid for the possible application of selective justice(convenient selectivism?) to achieve expected outcomes.
That is what I think!
VERY, VERY, VERY SAD DAY FOR MZANSI!!!! I sincerely hoped that South Africa had escaped its African destiny i.e. a decline in to mediocrity and despondency but alas.......they are yet to enjoy the effects of a garden variety buffoon as President! So sad, they have come so far but they must keep up the fight and stay the course, especially now more than ever!!!
I hear you, Sijui,
People usually do not value what they have until it is gone for good.
I pray and hope that the blessed birthright of South Africa is not exchanged for today's porridge of political expediency.
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