ANC backs Zuma move

2003-08-23 22:46

Pretoria - The African National Congress (ANC) accepts and supports the decision announced on Saturday by Public Prosecutions head Bulelani Ngcuka to not prosecute Deputy President Jacob Zuma for anything relating to the multi-billion rand arms deal, ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said.

Ngonyama told Sapa: "This is a victory for our democracy and our justice system that has to be respected"

Ngonyama was responding to allegations by the Democratic Alliance's Sheila Camerer that: "Bulelani Ngcuka has been subjected to unbearable political pressure over the past weeks and the decision reflects badly on the reputation of South Africa's legal system."

The New National Party Spokesperson on Justice Carol Johnson said: "The NNP fails to understand why Advocate Nqcuka has gone against the recommendation of his own investigation team."

"His argument that their prospects of success in a criminal case are not strong, is no reason whatsoever to decide not to prosecute. All the law requires for a prosecution is a prima facie case - which the investigation team says they have," she said.

Ngonyama said: "There was absolutely no interference and no pressure was ever brought to bear on the Director of Public Prosecutions. So far as we are concerned the Director acted properly according to all the information he received and really it's now time to close the issue."

Ngcuka made the announcement that Zuma will not be prosecuted for anything related to South Africa's multi-billion rand arms deal in Pretoria on Saturday morning.

"We have concluded that, whilst their is a prima facie case of corruption against the deputy president, our prospects of success are not strong enough," he said.

"That means that we are not sure if we have a winnable case. Accordingly, we have decided not prosecute the deputy president."

The elite investigating team, the Scorpions, was investigating allegations that Zuma tried to solicit R500 000 from Thomson CSF/Thales, a company that benefited from the arms deal. In return, he allegedly offered to protect the firm during subsequent investigations.

Zuma has repeatedly rejected the allegations.

The decision not to prosecute could be reviewed should new evidence arise, Ngcuka said.

Issues around the declaration of gifts and donations received by Zuma would be referred to Parliament for its consideration.

Zuma's spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Justice Minister Penuell Maduna who received a report on the investigation from Ngcuka said it was a "sad moment" to learn from Ngcuka that the deputy president probably had a case to answer.

He would not speculate on the effect this might have on Zuma's political career.

"The fact is he is not going to be prosecuted, at least not for now...," he said.

Ngcuka also announced that Zuma's personal financial advisor, Schabir Shaik, would be charged with various counts of corruption, fraud, theft of company assets, tax evasion and reckless trading. He was expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate's Court on Monday.

The Nkobi group of companies, of which Shaik is a director, and French arms company Thomson CSF would be prosecuted for contraventions of the Companies Act.

"We will be referring the evidence we have against Alain Thetard, Perrier, and international companies like Thomson, to the French authorities for them to take appropriate action," Ngcuka said.

- SAPA