Mmusi Maimane, the Federal Leader of the Democratic Alliance and Parliamentary Leader of the DA has now urged President Zupta not to appeal what was a unanimous judgement by a full bench of the North Gauteng High Court.
Maimane says taking this legal battle all the way to the Supreme Court of Appeal, and even to the Constitutional Court, “will only continue to delay him having to answer for these charges”, and in doing so, waste money that should be spent on delivering better services and creating jobs.
According to the Presidency Budget, and excluding the use of funds from alternative budgets in the process, the Presidency has spent more than R43 million on legal fees since Jacob Zuma came to office.
Financial year R, in millions From national budget:
2009/2010 11,6 Audited outcome
2010/2011 6,3 Audited outcome
2011/2012 6,3 Audited outcome
2012/2013 4,4 Audited outcome
2013/2014 5,9 Audited outcome
2014/2015 6,8 Audited outcome
2015/2016 1,7 Revised estimate
Total 2009-2016: 43,0
In a reply to a DA parliamentary question in 2013, the President revealed then that the amount spent on this court case in particular amounted to R1,262,479.70.
While we do not yet have an updated figure at this stage, it is apparent that millions of rands of the people’s money are being used to keep the President from having his day in court.
These valuable resources should rather be directed to where they are needed most, like in Zandspruit, Johannesburg – which still has no electricity and sanitation.
Zuma! Stop wasting our money to avoid answering for the very serious charges of corruption against you. It is now time that you accept the judgment and explain yourself before a court of this country.