Publication: News24 Issued: Date: 2012-10-26 Reporter: Sapa

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

 

Publication 

news24.com

Date 2012-10-26
Reporter Sapa
Web Link www.news24.com


Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma will dispute the meaning of a SCA decision that he must authorise the release of the National Prosecuting Authority's "spy tapes", the Democratic Alliance said on Friday.

"The DA considers the notice filed today by President Zuma’s lawyers with great consternation," said DA Federal Executive chairperson James Selfe in a statement.

"What this notice seems to imply is that President Zuma will now dispute the meaning of what the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ordered the NPA to produce."

The SCA ruled that the NPA must produce a "reduced record of decision" relating to corruption charges against Zuma being dropped.

"What President Zuma is clearly trying to do is to delay handing over the transcript of the tapes until the Mangaung [ANC national elective] conference is over," Selfe said.

The NPA has said while the SCA had ordered it to furnish the reduced record to the DA, this was contingent on Zuma's lawyers not objecting on the grounds of confidentiality.

Zuma's lawyers did object, so the NPA could not hand over the record.

The tapes supposedly contain conversations that alluded to impropriety in the course of the investigation into corruption charges against Zuma in the arms deal case.

The conversations were given as the reason why the case against Zuma was tainted, resulting in charges against him and arms company Thint being dropped.

With acknowledgement to news24.com.



As I've said previously, the SCA judgment by Navsa J could have and should have been a bit tighter.

But it's good enough.

And its not only about the transcripts, its about the reduced record which clearly has to include aspects other than the transcripts.

The only valid objection to handing over of the reduced record regards the confidential written representations.

Zuma J, lead by his esteemed legal team of Kemp J. Kemp (I never Lose) and Michael Hulley (I always Win) and advised by the likes of Radebe J, Heath W and Shaik M, have a simple stratagem, if you can't score the try, kick for touch.

It's sick that this gets tolerated.

But a gadfly has only so much horsepower.