CHARLES MOLELE
FORMER President Jacob Zuma has launched a scathing attack against the Zondo Commission for investigating his children’s bank accounts, saying he considered the matter a declaration of war.
In a hard-hitting letter dated October 15, Zuma said he was appalled at the commission’s attempts to target his children and described this as ‘utter cowardice’.
“I condemn as utter cowardice the attempts to target my children by way of clandestine investigations into matters that have nothing to do with them,” said Zuma.
“My opponents have now decided to target my children and this is where I draw the line and state that this harassment of my children is a declaration of war. The system has crossed the line and I will fight it with all I have.”
He further writes: “I have subjected myself to the biased legal system and despite my reservation have respected its crooked ways and political and selective prosecution. However, targeting my children is a despicable act conducted by those in power who do this on behalf of the old apartheid system that seems to have returned to the driving seat and is in control of many of our organs of state and law enforcement institutions.”
Zuma released the statement in response to a Sunday Times article reporting that the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture will be looking into his children’s bank accounts.
The report said the Zondo commission has subpoenaed banks to release the statements of at least 20 accounts linked to the Zuma family.
Zuma pleaded with law enforcement agencies, media, banks, particularly the Zondo Commission of Inquiry, to leave his children alone.
Zuma has been at loggerheads with the commission for some time over its attempts to force him to testify about his alleged involvement in State Capture corruption.
He has been ordered to appear before it again in November after his initial appearance last year.
However, his return to the commission has been mired in a fight with Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
“We are back to the period during which investigations and prosecutions were media driven and sought to humiliate subjects of investigations in order to pursue political agendas that should belong far from law-enforcement agencies, whose functions are enshrined in the constitution,” said Zuma.
(COMPILED BY INSIDE POLITICS STAFF)
