Zuma ‘must choose judge who will investigate him’ – ANC

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Zuma ‘must choose judge who will investigate him’ – ANC

9:41 CAT | 08 Nov 2016

AP / Opposition supporters are demanding Mr Zuma's resignation

South Africa’s governing African National Congress (ANC) says it supports the appointment of a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate damaging allegations of corruption in President Jacob Zuma’s government, but it wants him to choose the judge who will head it.

This is in contrast to the recommendation by South Africa’s main anti-corruption watchdog, the public protector, that Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng should choose the judge.

Following a meeting of the ANC’s leadership body, the National Working Committee (NWC), party secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the commission “must be established like any other judicial commission of inquiry”.

There was no place for the public protector’s office, which was a constitutionally created post, to determine how the commission should be constituted, he added.

Last week, the anti-corruption watchdog released a report which said that Mr Zuma may have violated the code of ethics which governs his office in his relationship with the wealthy Gupta family. Mr Zuma and the family have denied all wrongdoing.

Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas was quoted in the report as saying that businessman Ajay Gupta offered him 600m rand ($44.6m; £36.2m) last year, “to be deposited in an account of his choice”, if he accepted the post of finance minister.

Mr Gupta also asked him if he had “a bag which he could use to receive and carry 600,000 rand in cash immediately”, Mr Jonas alleged, adding that Mr Zuma’s son, Duduzane, was present at the meeting.

He was expected to remove key Treasury officials from their posts and advance the Gupta family’s “business ambitions”, Mr Jonas was quoted as saying.

Mr Gupta denied meeting Mr Jonas, and his lawyers said the family would welcome the opportunity to clear its name at a judicial commission of inquiry.

Mr Zuma is expected to survive an opposition-sponsored no confidence vote in Parliament tomorrow as the ANC has rejected calls for him to step down.

Source: BBC