Zondo will not ‘negotiate’ on when Zuma will testify

The chairperson of the commission of inquiry into state capture, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has said that he will not negotiate with former president Jacob Zuma and his legal team on the dates that he, the former president, should testify at the commission.

“This commission does not negotiate dates with witnesses,” Zondo said.

The Deputy Chief Justice announced on Monday that he has determined that Zuma will appear before him from 16 to 20 November.

He said on 9 October at 9am he will hear an application by the commission’s legal team for the authorisation for a subpoena against Zuma for the former president to appear before the commission. He said this application will continue with or without Zuma or his legal team being present.

Zondo added that should Zuma’s legal team wish to make a virtual appearance at the commission’s legal team’s application for a subpoena, they should timeously inform the commission so arrangements can be made, adding that “that application will continue with or without them”.

According to a letter by Zuma’s attorneys, Zondo said, the reasons provided for the former president not appearing before the commission this week include that he was preparing for his arms deal court matter, that doctors had advised that because of his age in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, he should limit his movements and that he was seeking legal advice regarding the amendments of the commission’s regulations.

Zondo was on Monday hearing testimony relating to the R1-billion Free State project, watch the proceedings live courtesy of SABC:

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