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Ramaphosa gives Zuma until Monday to drop private prosecution case against him

18 December 2022, 7:30 AM |

Ntebo Mokobo | @SABCNews

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers an address to the Joint Sitting of the British Parliament in the Palace of Westminster in London during the occasion of his State Visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, November 22, 2022.

Image: @PresidencyZA

President Cyril Ramaphosa has given his predecessor Jacob Zuma until the end of business on Monday to withdraw his private prosecution bid or face legal action.

Zuma has launched a private prosecution against Ramaphosa at the High Court in Johannesburg.

He is accusing Ramaphosa of assisting state advocate Billy Downer to violate the sections of the National Prosecuting Act.

The charges relate to News24’s publication of details of Zuma’s medical condition, which were attached to court papers lodged at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg last year.

However, Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya says Zuma’s case has no basis in law.

Presidency Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya speaks on Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution bid

JG Zuma Foundation to institute private prosecution proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa

The Jacob Zuma Foundation say they have instituted private prosecution proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa with the criminal offence being accessory after the fact in the crimes committed by amongst others Advocate Billy Downer, namely breaching the provisions of the NPA Act.

On Thursday, the Foundation’s spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi confirmed this and said he will release more information at a later stage.

“The purpose of me coming through tonight (Thursday -December 15, 2022) is simply just to make sure that no one thinks that this is a bogus statement. Just to confirm that this is legit this is what it is.”

Manyi said he still needs to read through the 51-page summons: “In terms of the detailing stuff, I won’t be able to do it tonight because I myself still need to read through the 51-page summons as it were. But I think suffice to say, President Ramaphosa has got a date in court in the new year.”

Manyi added: “I think for tonight, we probably have to leave it there and in terms of the detail the fact that you have got there he’s an accessory after the facts is already the point that we are making and we are going with that at this point.”