Former president Jacob Zuma. Picture: Doctor Ngcobo / African News Agency (ANA)
DURBAN - The Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA), one of the staunch backers of former president Jacob Zuma, has warned the Zondo commission that arresting the retired statesman would spark a crisis.
In a statement issued on Monday, after its national executive committee meeting on Friday, the association warned the commission’s chair, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, “not to follow through on the perilous road that he has embarked upon”.
This was in reaction to Zondo frowning upon Zuma for walking out of the state capture commission on November 19. That was after Zondo had turned down an application by Zuma and his lawyers for him to step aside.
The association claimed that Zondo’s hand on the Zuma matter was forced.
“The MKMVA NEC has also noted with deep concern the very unwise decision by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo to file legal charges against president Jacob Zuma, after his senior council, advocate Muzi Sikhakhane, informed the Deputy Chief Justice that president Zuma will excuse himself. We are aware that Deputy Chief Justice Zondo was placed under severe pressure by several foreign-funded NGOs, and other reactionary forces, that advised him to take this ill-advised step that can lead to the arrest of president Zuma.
"We have also noted that several of these same reactionary forces, and many in the mainstream white monopoly capital (WMC) media, have been pushing for exactly such an arrest. While MKMVA respects the Commission of Enquiry into State Capture, we would like to advise Deputy Judge Zondo that he will do well not to follow through on the perilous road that he has embarked upon,” it said.
The association claimed the majority of South Africans did not want Zuma arrested.
“It must be clearly understood that MKMVA, and a large part of the population of South Africa, will not take kindly to him being arrested. If the Commission of Enquiry into State Capture persists with a warrant of arrest - and a subsequent arrest - a situation will be created that neither the commission nor anyone else will be able to control,” the association added in its statement.
On internal ANC matters, it said it was vindicated by legal advice provided to the ruling party’s top six by advocate Gcina Malindi that members facing charges and yet to be convicted could not be forced to step aside.
“It has been our view throughout that neither in terms of the ANC constitution, or the Constitution of our country, such powers exist, and that the constitutional maxim that every citizen is deemed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law must prevail.
“The MKMVA NEC feels vindicated that this view was confirmed by Senior Council (sic). For the sake of unity in the ANC we make an earnest appeal on all members of the NEC not to try force this deeply divisive issue any further, and to allow themselves to be led by the legal council (sic) that they have received.”