The Johannesburg residence of former deputy president Jacob Zuma and the offices of his attorney in Durban were searched by the Scorpions on Thursday morning, his attorney said.
This comes after a similar raid at the home of Zuma’s financial adviser Schabir Shaik who is currently appealing a fraud and corruption conviction relating to his relationship with Zuma.
”Yes, I am able to confirm that there have been various raids,” Michael Hulley told the South African Press Association (Sapa).
”They raided Mr Zuma’s residence in Johannesburg and my offices in Durban.
”There was certain information that they were looking for in terms of a warrant that they had secured.”
He said he knew no more about the purpose of the raid.
”I’m hoping to find out. I’m on my way to see my client in Johannesburg.”
Hulley would meet Zuma in Johannesburg at 11am to gather more information.
He also expected to receive an inventory of seized items later in the day.
A Sapa reporter outside Zuma’s home said Zuma was seen briefly walking outside the house at 8 Epping Road, Forest Town, named ”Idle Winds”.
Members of the elite policing unit, the Scorpions, were patrolling at the house and would not comment to the large media contingent.
Earlier, four men armed with automatic weapons screeched up to the house in a black Jeep with flashing blue lights and ran up to the gate.
The men cocked their rifles and told members of the Scorpions to put down their guns.
They then entered the premises and were later seen arguing with the Scorpions.
When asked where the men were from, the driver of the black Jeep told journalists to ”voertsek”.
Also parked outside the house was a police car marked ”Presidential Protection Unit”.
Zuma, who is also the former MEC for the department of economic affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, was charged with two counts of corruption after Shaik was sentenced to 15 years in jail for fraud and corruption.
Reliable sources who preferred not to be named told Sapa that the offices of French Arms manufacturer Thomson CSF in Pretoria were also raided.
They were implicated in the corruption charge against Shaik.
Zuma’s Nkandla traditional homestead was also searched.
Although Shaik’s lawyer Reeves Parsee was ”too busy to talk now”, Shaik’s brother Mo confirmed the searches, which he said occurred at about 6am on Thursday.
”The lawyers are dealing with it,” Mo Shaik told Sapa.
”Clearly we are upset about this. They may be within the law, but for us there has been a trial and there is a process of appeal and this distracts us from the appeal. There is something very wrong here. You don’t charge and then investigate.”
The National Prosecuting Authority’s spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
A secretary from the NPA told the Mail & Guardian Online on Thursday morning that ”we don’t have any comment for now”. – Sapa