Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says the motive for the legal action by former president Jacob Zuma is political and lacks any substance.
On Thursday – the eve of the ANC national elective conference, the Jacob Zuma Foundation released a statement declaring that Zuma had instituted a private prosecution of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
It claimed this was for being an accessory after the fact in the crimes committed by, among others, advocate Billy Downer and breaching the provisions of the National Prosecuting Authority Act.
Now, Ramaphosa has served Zuma with legal papers, saying Zuma must withdraw his private prosecution against him.
The foundation argues that Ramaphosa took no action when requested by Zuma, and is therefore complicit.
But Magwenya says the president did act.
“In the president referring the matter to Justice Minister Ronald Lamola and requesting him to refer the matter to the [Legal Practice Council] LPC, what more could the president have done that doesn’t border on interfering with an independent prosecutorial body?”
He said Zuma has interfered with legal processes before, however, the current administration has no appetite for interfering with institutions of democracy.
“As a country, we have seen this movie before, and it was a horror movie where the executive felt it had unfettered authority and power to interfere with institutions of democracy. This president, this administration will not allow itself to be dragged into that space again,” Magwenya said.
-EWN
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