Nomgcobo Jiba
Picture: Supplied

Johannesburg - The DA has called for acting head of prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba to be held in contempt of court for failing to hand over the so-called Zuma spy tapes, The Star reported on Wednesday.

Tuesday was the deadline for responses to the Democratic Alliance's heads of argument that were submitted on 21 January.

The National Prosecuting Authority and President Jacob Zuma's lawyers failed to submit heads of argument by the close of business on Tuesday.

In its papers, the DA rejects the argument by Zuma's lawyer Michael Hulley that submissions made by Zuma are confidential, and says Jiba will have to prove she is not in contempt of court for failing to hand over the tapes.

In March last year, the Supreme Court of Appeal gave the NPA 14 days to produce the documents that were before the then prosecutions head Mokotedi Mpshe. He decided to drop corruption charges against Zuma in 2009, claiming the case was politically motivated. He based the decision on recordings of intercepted phone conversations, the so-called spy tapes.

Instead of producing the transcripts in April last year, the NPA handed them to Hulley.

According to The Star, the DA rejected the NPA's contention that the documents were covered by a confidentiality undertaking given to Zuma.

The DA said it would be difficult for Jiba to show that her non-compliance with the SCA ruling was not in bad faith and that she permitted Zuma's lawyers to dictate to the NPA how long they needed to study the transcripts, the newspaper reported.

Related Links

• NPA above politics, Jiba says

• 'Spy tapes': Presidency fails to file

• Release spy tapes - Ngoepe

• Judge Ngoepe denies 'spy tapes' talk

• Zuma to dispute meaning of 'spy tapes' ruling - DA

 With acknowledgement to Sapa and News24.

Contempt indeed.