Publication: Sapa Issued: Johannesburg Date: 2005-08-18 Reporter: Sapa Reporter:

Scorpions Outside Zuma House

 

Publication 

Sapa
CORRECTS-SCORPIONS-2ND-LD-ZUMA
Date

2005-08-18

Issued

Johannesburg

Reporter

Sapa

 

Scorpions detectives were walking around former deputy president Jacob Zuma's house in Johannesburg on Thursday morning.

This follows a raid on his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik's house and business in Durban at about 6am on Thursday.

A Sapa reporter on the scene said nobody would comment on why the Scorpions were there, but as they were patrolling, four men armed with automatic weapons screeched up to the house in Epping road in a black Jeep with flashing blue lights.

The men ran to the gate, rapped their guns on the gate and demanded to be let in.

A member of the Scorpions asked the men to "please calm down".

The men then ran into the house with their firearms.

When asked where the men were from, the driver of the black Jeep told journalists to "voertsek" (sic).

The men were then seen walking around the house arguing with the Scorpions.

Large group of photographers and reporters had gathered outside.

The roads have been blocked off by the Scorpions.

There was no sign of Zuma although there were a number of cars parked in the driveway.

Zuma, who is also the former MEC for the department of economic affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, was charged with two counts of corruption after Shaik was sentenced to 15 years in jail for fraud and corruption, all related to Zuma. Shaik is appealing against the sentence.

According to other unconfirmed reports, the Scorpions also searched Zuma's home in the village of Nkandla and the offices of the department of economic affairs in KwaZulu-Natal.

The SABC reported that Zuma's attorney's office in Durban had also been searched.

Reliable sources who preferred not to be named told Sapa that the offices of French Arms manufacturer Thomson CSF in Pretoria were also raided.

They were implicated in the corruption charge against Shaik.

The Scorpions said they could not comment immediately.

With acknowledgement to Sapa.