Former President Jacob Zuma says fraud and corruption charges against him are prompted by political vengeance and spite. This is according to papers filed at the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) where Zuma is set to appeal the 2018 Pretoria High Court ruling which stated that he had to pay for his legal costs.
He is arguing that it is unfair and discriminatory to withhold state legal funds for his litigation.
Zuma is pinned against the legal ropes.
The costs of his legal battles continue to soar:
He is appealing the December 2018 High Court ruling of a personal costs order relating to his failed bid to review the remedial action of the state of capture report.
In papers before the SCA, Zuma contends that there is nothing wrong with the state footing his legal bills.
The former president argues that the state has been funding his legal costs since 2004. But that had changed following the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) application to set aside the decision.
Zuma says the characterisation of his right to legal representation funded by the state, was not unusual and that this is not a delaying tactic to avoid accountability.
Zuma says charges against him were leveled in his capacity as a public office-bearer.
![[FILE PHOTO] President Cyril Ramaphosa answering questions in the National Assembly.](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SABC-News-Pres-Ramaphosa-Gov-Flickr.jpg)
