'Zuma ruling undermines NPA'

2008-09-12 16:06

Johannesburg - The Pietermaritzburg High Court's ruling on Jacob Zuma had seriously undermined the credibility of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Congress of SA Trade Unions said on Friday.

Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said Judge Chris Nicholson's findings completely vindicated the stance of Cosatu and its allies that Zuma's prosecution was politically manipulated and should be abandoned.

"We agree in particular with Judge [Chris] Nicholson's description of the decision in 2003 by the then national director of public prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, not to prosecute Zuma despite the presence of a prima facie case, as 'bizarre', given that a decision had been made to prosecute Schabir Shaik and his corporate entities," Craven said.

He said Friday's judgment did not rule on Zuma's guilt or innocence, and theoretically the NPA could re-launch a prosecution.

"However today's judgement seriously undermined the credibility of the NPA and the whole basis of the NPA's case, and goes a long way to vindicate Cosatu's demand for the permanent dropping of all the charges against the ANC president," he said.

Contrary to media reports, the union federation had never sought to undermine the independence of the judiciary, or believed that the ANC president was above the law.

"Judge Nicholson's judgement clearly supports the view that if there has been any attack on the independence of the judiciary it has not come from the supporters of Jacob Zuma but from those he accuses of manipulating judicial structures for political ends," Craven said.