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.