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Zuma dodges state capture inquiry summons

Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo accepted his legal team’s submission that he is ill and would be undergoing medical treatment next month.

Johannesburg — Former president Jacob Zuma has dodged being summoned before the state capture commission after Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo accepted his legal team’s submission that he is ill and would be undergoing medical treatment next month. 

Zuma was due to testify before the commission from January 27 to 31. 

Zuma abandoned his testimony at the commission in July, objecting to the line of questioning. He then missed two scheduled appearances, with his lawyers saying he was ill. They did not give details.

Advocate Thabani Masuku SC, for Zuma, insisted that there was no basis for issuing the summons sought by evidence leaders and that his client’s medical team was prepared to meet with Zondo, the commission’s chairman, to brief him in private on the former president’s medical condition.

Video: Karen Sandison/African News Agency (ANA)

The commission is investigating wide-ranging allegations of corruption during Zuma’s tenure from 2009 to 2018, when he resigned under pressure from the ruling party.

Zondo said he would announce a decision at a later date after being briefed by Zuma’s medical team. 

Among the allegations Zuma faces are that members of the wealthy Gupta family influenced cabinet appointments and swayed the awarding of lucrative state contracts. The family left South Africa after major banks refused to continue doing business with them, citing a concern over increased risk.

Key Gupta family members were placed on the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list last year.

AP and IOL

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