South Africa: Zuma Snubs Anti-Corruption Commission

Former South African president, Jacob Zuma, has ignored an order from the country’s highest court to appear before an anti-graft inquiry that is investigating political corruption.

The 78-year-old politician has openly defied the Constitutional Court’s ruling on 28 January to stand as a witness for the Zondo Commission, at which he was expected to give testimony from 15 until 19 February.

On Monday, 1 February, Zuma released a statement which read: “The Commission Into Allegations of State Capture [sic] can expect no further cooperation from me in any of their processes.”

He claimed that the inquiry is biased towards him, and previously sought a recusal which was ultimately denied.

The Commission commenced in 2018 to determine the extent of the “state capture” scandal surrounding Zuma’s time as president – largely involving the Gupta family, who used their relationship with him to procure highly lucrative government deals.

Zuma and the Gupta family have denied all allegations.

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