/ 3 April 2009

NPA to make Zuma announcement on Monday

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it would make its announcement on how it would proceed with ANC president Jacob Zuma’s case on Monday.

Speaking outside the authority’s Pretoria headquarters on Friday, spokesperson Tlali Tlali said the NPA would brief the media on the decision at 10.30am on Monday.

On reports that it would announce on Friday whether charges would be dropped or not, Tlali said they were ”pre-emptive”.

”This decision could go either way,” he said.

ANC spokesperson Lindiwe Zulu told Sapa the wait for news on the fate of the party president was ”really a bit heavy” but that the party respected the legal process.

”Whichever way, we hope they come to a decision.

”The waiting is not a very good thing, the entire NEC [national executive committee], the entire ANC, the public is waiting but at the same time we do hope the NPA is delaying because they are really exercising their mind to this.

”We respect the legal process,” she said.

Zuma was ”relaxed and focused” on campaigning for the upcoming election, but Zulu added: ”He’s a human being, there is a limit to which one can carry on like this.”

She said he knew he had the full support of the ANC as well as that of his family.

The party president would not be putting his feet up this weekend as he waited for the decision which could bring finality to his eight-year legal woes. He would continue on the campaign trail, Zulu said.

Meanwhile, Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said on Friday that the delay in the NPA announcing a decision on whether to proceed with or drop charges against Zuma is due to ”deep divisions” in the authority.

”Some in the NPA oppose withdrawing the case that they have so painstakingly built, while others believe the case is seriously compromised, or want to protect their jobs by dropping the charges,” Zille said in a statement after the NPA said its decision on the matter would be announced on Monday.

”The NPA is also divided over how much material from the secret Zuma submissions should be made public,” she said.

Zille’s spokesperson Fritz de Klerk said the party leader’s comment were based on her personal observations as well as media reports on the matter.

She said it was ”essential, in the interests of saving our constitutional democracy” that there was full disclosure of all information regarding the case.

Almost all parties involved were interested in a cover-up, including Zuma, former president Thabo Mbeki and the NPA itself, Zille said.

The DA has threatened to take legal action should the NPA drop its corruption, fraud and racketeering cases against Zuma. — Sapa