Mbeki implicated in Zuma 'plot'
Sharika Regchand
Pietermaritzburg - Former deputy president Jacob Zuma's claims of a plot to thwart his presidential ambitions have raised questions on whether President Thabo Mbeki will have to be called to give evidence at the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
A blistering affidavit in which Zuma appears unexpectedly to make good on his promise to "have his say" in court, raised many such potentially explosive questions and implicated a host of the country's most powerful figures in the alleged plot against him.
The current national director of public prosecutions, Vusi Pikoli, his predecessor Bulelani Ngcuka and Mbeki are some of those who Zuma claims would be able to clarify circumstances surrounding the charges against him.
This was all revealed in Zuma's affidavit in which he seeks a permanent stay of prosecution in his case or for it to be removed from the court roll.
Amid tight security, Zuma and his co-accused Thint appeared before Judge Herbert Msimang and his two assessors. Thint seeks the same order as Zuma.
Dignitaries stood up
When Zuma - who faces corruption charges related to the multi-billion rand arms deal - entered the courtroom, dignitaries including KZN Premier S'bu Ndebele stood up.
Zuma believes the charges against him were initiated and certainly fuelled by a political conspiracy to remove him as a role player in the ANC.
"There is not a single State witness involved in the arms deal process who contends that I ever even remotely requested or suggested that he or she act in an improper manner in the process or that I tried to influence the process or its outcome in any way," said Zuma.
Mbeki not on list of witnesses
When he was being investigated, Mbeki was deputy president and a member of the cabinet and thus involved in the arms deal process, taking an active interest and part in it.
"Mbeki is a person who is ideally and obviously suited to depose to the absence of corruption in the award process.
"Once again, if he does so, the prosecution must revisit and rethink the allegations that I was bribed to protect the French interests against exposure for corruption in the arms deal.
"There is no statement from the president in the docket contents handed to us.
"Nor is he on the list of witnesses," he said.
News source: www.news24.co.za
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