Mandela offered to help Zuma
2005-02-22 15:17
Durban - Former president Nelson Mandela offered to help to "extinguish" the debt of deputy president Jacob Zuma, the Durban High Court heard on Tuesday.
Testifying at his fraud and corruption trial Durban businessman Shabir Shaik said Mandela felt that Zuma's financial problems were "distracting him from his duties at the African National Congress".
Shaik said Zuma then asked him to consolidate all his debt so Zuma could present it to Mandela.
Sipping on Berocca while in the witness box, Shaik said he made two kinds of loans to Zuma - one personal, and the other on behalf of the ANC for which he expected no repayment.
He said he kept a record of all payments from his company to Zuma and that he personally authorised it.
Shaik borrowed the money from his company on behalf of Zuma and he was therefore personally responsible for repaying the debt, he said.
Shaik said his attorney Anand Moodley accompanied Zuma to see Mandela and that he (Shaik) had to pay for the trip.
Judge Hilary Squires asked why the ANC needed so many contributions, and why it could not finance the deputy president itself.
Shaik replied: "I wait for the day the ANC does become cash flush Milord, so they don't have to be in such a precarious position."
- SAPA