Zuma’s law-defying walkout was a political move – analysts

The pending warrant of arrest against former president Jacob Zuma has the potential to rattle the country and that is what he wants in order to rekindle his dwindling political career.

Political experts agree that Zuma knew the consequences of defying Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.

They believed he would use the matter to once more portray himself as a victim of political persecution by the post-Nasrec leadership of Cyril Ramaphosa, whom he accused of using the judiciary or state apparatus to fight ANC factional battles.

Political analyst Professor Lesiba Teffo said while the warrant against Zuma compelled him to account for defying the Zondo commission, it would have political ramifications for the country and the ANC.

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“There is not much credibility left for Zuma.

“His image suffered a severe knock over the years. He has destroyed his legacy himself.

“But given his political standing in society, this development has the potential to rattle the country,” Teffo said.

Given Zuma’s following, the expert said, his supporters might read the pending warrant against him as another attack on the former president.

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Political analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga, author of the books When Zuma Goes and Ramaphosa’s Turn, said Zuma’s action was a political move because legally he had “no leg to stand on”.

“It has been very clear from the beginning that Zuma has been daring the commission, challenging it at every turn.

“But Zondo has thrown the book at him here.

“At the same time, Zuma’s strategy doesn’t make sense legally, but it makes sense politically.

“Politically, it is to challenge the process and to try and say there is arbitrary exercise of abuse of power by the commission in that it is targeting certain people. That is the political message that seems to be resonating in Zuma’s move.

“I say this because, legally, he would have a problem sustaining his position in court,” Mathekga said.

The analyst was alluding to Zuma’s habit of blaming his opponents for criminal woes he brought on to himself.

He once accused former president Thabo Mbeki of masterminding his prosecution for corruption emanation from the multibillion-rand arms deal, insisting the former president resorted to using state agencies against him.

Already his radical economic transformation backers implied Ramaphosa was using state resources to fight his party factional battles. They referred to both the Zuma and ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule corruption prosecutions.

Teffo said, coupled with the recent warrant issued against Magashule, the Zuma warrant could revive and fuel the factional infighting within the governing party, which could prove very costly for the party.

The two sides have not seen eye to eye since the 2017 elective ANC national conference, despite undertaking to promote party unity.

“His followers might read this in their own way to say Zuma was being unfairly persecuted politically.

“This is an accusation Zuma himself levelled against Mbeki and the suggestion is that this is what is happening now with Zuma,” Teffo said.

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