Africa-Press – South-Africa. Hours after former president Jacob Zuma failed to attend the first day of his corruption trial in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg allegedly due to ill-health, his foundation’s spokesperson declined to reveal his medical condition.
“Even if I did know what was wrong, I am not going to tell you,” foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi told journalists outside court.
Manyi was speaking shortly after the consideration for the appeal of Zuma’s case was heard.
Zuma’s lawyers asserted that as an accused, he was entitled to choose to have his trial delayed so he could fight for his fair trial rights in other courts.
“His medical condition is a private and confidential matter, suffice to say he is not well. Exactly the ins and outs of that is a private matter,” Manyi added.
Earlier in the day, Manyi told journalists that Zuma’s medical condition had worsened overnight, resulting in him being unable to attend court proceedings in person.
Zuma, however, waved his right to be in court so the judge could continue hearing his postponement application.
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“The law is clear in that it says when an appeal process is under way, the underlying judgment gets suspended. Strictly speaking, we should have just spent five or 10 minutes in court,” Manyi said.
“We expect the judge to grant a postponement purely on the fact that the appeals process is still ongoing.”
Outside court, staunch Zuma supporter Carl Niehaus maintained Zuma was being politically targeted. This despite no evidence to suggest that the courts had discriminated against the former head of state.
He also suggested that there had been a political conspiracy against Zuma taking up political office since before he was elected head of state – a claim he could also not back up with any proof.
Niehaus said the election of former Durban mayor Zandile Gumede as ANC chairperson in the region was significant for Zuma and the ANC’s radical economic transformation movement.
“Yesterday evening, we saw the election of the new chair in eThekwini region Zandile Gumede, and yes, she has also been subjected to politically motivated attacks.
“The people spoke. They voted for her through the branches of the ANC. It was a watershed, game-changing moment. Watch what will happen by the end of this year. We will see the ANC regain its revolutionary heart,” he added.
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