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'I'll cross that bridge when I get there'
20/12/2007 21:17 - (SA)
Polokwane - New African National Congress president Jacob Zuma on Thursday faced a barrage of questions on his looming corruption charges at his first media conference since his election to the post.
He denied he had ever said he wanted his day in court, and also said he would "cross the bridge" of the charges when he got there.
"There's absolutely no reason I should respond to people in the media who speak about me," he told reporters on the final day of the ANC policy conference in Polokwane.
Earlier on Thursday, acting head of the National Prosecuting Authority, Mokotedi Mpshe, told a radio station that the Scorpions' investigation against Zuma was complete, and that he had the impression that charges would be filed soon.
But Zuma declined to be drawn on the report.
"I think I would want to cross that bridge when we get there," he said. "I think any answer that I give is just guesswork."
Innocent until found guilty
"But they're saying they ready to charge to charge you imminently," persisted a journalist.
"Of course they can explain that best. I'm saying I'll cross that bridge when I get there. If I start arguing that, I'm just philosophising on speculation."
Asked whether he was surprised that the NPA had announced publicly that the charge was imminent, he said he would not want to "engage that issue".
At that point newly elected ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa, sitting alongside him, came to his rescue, saying that in a constitutional state governed by the rule of law, where people were presumed innocent until found guilty, it was unfair to charge Zuma in the court of public opinion before taking him to a court of law.
"If you want to charge me, please let me know. Why do you go to tell the radio station or TV station... it's a little bit improper," Phosa said.
Zuma said his "day in court" statement had been misinterpreted.
His problem had been that there was an investigation being conducted publicly against him, and "things" were said about him by the investigators.
"My problem was, why are these things said in public? Because if I've got a case to answer, I have to be taken to court.
"Because I couldn't answer you guys [the media], because that arose from you guys asking, this is what the Scorpions are saying, what then are you saying?
"And I was trying to tell you... I would answer that in court. But it was twisted, doctored, and it became an allegation that Zuma wants his day in court."
Ask whether he would like his looming trial speeded up, he replied: "Why should I want anything to be speeded up that does not exist?"
The Scorpions probe stems from Zuma's relationship with his financial adviser, businessman Schabir Shaik, who was jailed in 2005 for payments to Zuma and trying to solicit an arms company bribe for him.
- SAPA
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