Lawyers 'worse than apartheid'
2006-09-20 22:49
Johannesburg - When the prosecution team investigated Jacob Zuma "from head to toe" and simultaneously searched his homes in Johannesburg, Nkandla and Durban, he told them they had behaved worse than their apartheid counterparts.
"Even at the worst case of what they would call a terrorist - we were once called terrorists - they would come and deal with you, even kill you, but they would not involve other people," Zuma said, explaining that his family also had been dragged into the searches.
Zuma described the stress of the investigation and prosecution in the corruption case against him to thousands of unionists at the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) congress on Wednesday night.
His case had been thrown out of court by Judge Herbert Msimang in Pietermaritzburg High Court earlier in the day.
He said the investigation team antagonised his family during the searches and he had challenged them on this.
'No love for South Africa'
Their response was that it was the law.
"I said you've got to change that because it's a wrong law," said Zuma.
"I said: 'I must tell you, you are doing even what the apartheid state did not do. If they thought there was somebody who had committed a crime, they would investigate until they had a case, then charge the person.'
"I said: 'You are worse than them.' "
He added that he had told the investigators that they did not have a love for South Africa "because you are antagonising this nation against the organs of the state".
Zuma thanked Cosatu repeatedly and in several languages for standing by him and believing in the course of justice.
"I thought it would be appropriate just to stand here and thank you for the very principled decision you took as a federation," he told cheering delegates.
"You were straight. At the end of the day, the defence of this country is in your hands.
"You have proved it and given confidence that no individual or party can take us out of this cause."
Zuma said that Wednesday's judgment made him regain confidence in the judiciary, "that, in fact, we have a judiciary that interprets the law. He (Judge Msimang) stuck to the correct principles which is the best defence of our constitution, our democracy."
He called on the media to apologise for the way the case was reported on, saying he was found guilty before appearing in court.
"The media, eh you!" he said ruefully.
He asked why the media had not asked where the prosecution's case was after a prolonged period of investigation.
Case 'disappeared'
"I did not even ask to have a day in court. I just asked, if there is a case against me, why was I not taken to court."
He said even the judge commented on how the prosecution's case disappeared.
He said the prosecution got into increasing difficulties with the case and described it as being like a pig that goes into a hole, eats itself fat and can't get out again.
- SAPA