Video by Sihle Mavuso
Pietermaritzburg - Fuming after Pietermaritzburg high court judge Piet Koen turned down former president Jacob Zuma’s application to appeal advocate Billy Downer SC recusal ruling with the Supreme Court of Appeal, the former president’s spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi claimed the judge is replicating the alleged selective conduct of Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
Manyi who speaks on behalf of the Jacob Zuma Foundation claimed that they were not surprised that Koen ruled this way as it has become a norm for the judiciary of the country to treat the former head of state using laws outside the rule book of the constitution.
Manyi was speaking to reporters inside the Pietermaritzburg high court shortly after the ruling that left Zuma’s supporters who were inside court, grumbling, claiming that it was a foregone conclusion that he would lose as there is a judicial bias against him.
“We are used to Zuma laws, what we have seen here is a travesty of justice where an established law practice, something called interlocutory application, is now dismissed as some kind of a piecemeal arrangement,” Manyi told reporters.
In the leave to appeal application, Zuma wanted to be granted permission to approach the Supreme Court of Appeal in his legal fight to force senior NPA prosecutor Downer SC out as the lead prosecutor of his arms deal corruption trial.
This follows a January 31, 2022 decision by Judge Koen to reserve his judgment following a day-long oral argument by Zuma’s legal team led by advocate Dali Mpofu SC which argued that another court may rule differently.
Going on with his media address, Manyi referenced the long-running battles between Zuma and Zondo while chairing the state capture commission and having to deal with Zuma matters.
Zuma supporters used to claim that Zondo was refusing to have his bias against the former head of state checked by by recusing himself or admitting that he could have been wrong.
“We are having another Zondo issue here where a judge insists on ruling in his own ruling. This is what we have, we have judges today that lack the necessary humility to say I hold my position, but maybe somebody else may think differently,” Manyi said.
He added that the foundation would advise Zuma to directly petition the Supreme Court of Appeal to hear the matter.
Another Zuma supporter, Carl Niehaus, said the court’s decision, that Zuma can only deal with the matter of Downer after his corruption trial has been heard, is prejudicial to him.
Video: Sihle Mavuso/IOL Politics
Mthunzi Mhaga, the spokesperson of the NPA (National Prosecuting Authority) said they are happy with Koen’s ruling and hope Zuma would not appeal and hinder the corruption trial which Judge Koen said should go ahead in April this year.
Political Bureau