Former President Jacob Zuma has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of corruption, saying conducting private business is inconsistent with the incumbent’s oath of office.
Zuma addressed the media in Johannesburg on Saturday, his first such interaction since being released from prison.
Zuma spent three months in jail for contempt of court after he refused to continue with his testimony at the State Capture Commission last year.
He was sentenced to 15 months and later granted medical parole.
Zuma says Ramaphosa should focus on addressing South Africa’s challenges.
“No president should conduct private business while in office. It’s not allowed. Our country’s problems are big enough for a president who is busy hustling on the side.”
“Your president has committed treason!” Those were the words of the former president, charging at President Ramaphosa during a media briefing in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Addressing the media for the first time since his official release from prison earlier this month, Zuma took at swipe at Ramaphosa saying doing business on the side while he was still the president was unconstitutional.
Zuma says the suspension of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has only made matters worse for Ramaphosa’s case, alleging that the suspension was cover up for the Phala-Phala farm gate.
“To add insult to injury, the Western Cape High Court has found that the president went further and suspended the public protector for the sole purpose of covering up his Phala-Phala corruption,” charged Zuma.
Video: Former President Jacob Zuma accuses President Cyril Ramaphosa of committing treason
In September, the Western Cape High Court declared the decision by President Ramaphosa to suspend Mkhwebane invalid and set it aside.
Advocate Dali Mpofu announced the court decision during the Parliamentary Inquiry into Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office.
Mkhwebane’s suspension was subsequently set aside effectively from Friday, 9 September 2022, after she had launched an application in the high court.
Mkhwebane was suspended in June and is currently participating in a hearing which seeks to look at her fitness to hold office.
Zuma has also criticised the government’s intention to unbundle Eskom saying it is an irresponsible act. Addressing the media in Johannesburg for the first time since he was released from prison Zuma says his government ended loadshedding in 2015.
