Former deputy president Jacob Zuma has made no requests to the Presidency to fund his defence during his upcoming trial on corruption charges, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said on Wednesday.
Replying to questions in the National Assembly, she said the Presidency agreed to fund a watching brief for Zuma during the trial of his former financial adviser and Durban businessman Schabir Shaik.
The decision was taken after consideration of a recommendation by the chief state law adviser and the uniqueness of the case in that although Zuma was not charged in the matter, the majority of allegations that had to be answered in court involved him directly.
”But, also noting that there was no precedent that could be relied upon for guidance under the unique circumstances,” she said. ”The account has been settled by the state attorneys, but no payments have yet been made from the Presidency’s budget.
”No application has been submitted to the Presidency in relation to the charges currently faced by Mr Zuma,” Mlambo-Ngcuka said.
Sheila Camerer of the Democratic Alliance said taxpayers’ funds should not be used for this purpose, as the generally corrupt relationship the court found Zuma had had with Shaik was not conducted in the course of Zuma’s duties, either as a provincial minister in KwaZulu-Natal or as deputy president.
She also wanted to know exactly how much money was allocated to the watching-brief bills.
Mlambo-Ngcuka said there is nothing untoward on the part of the Presidency in the matter.
Also, the exact costs are not yet known as the account has not yet been received from the state law advisers, she said.
Teachers’ union calls for Zuma support
Meanwhile, South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) leaders on Wednesday called for mass pressure to support ”deputy president” Jacob Zuma.
A statement from Sadtu, which was signed after a meeting of its national executive committee (NEC) in Johannesburg on Tuesday and Wednesday, said the Zuma issue is bound up with the future political trajectory of South Africa.
A statement from the NEC said: ”We have seen that the first 10 years of democracy — in economic terms — largely benefited the elite and capital. This trend must be reversed in the second decade of democracy.”
If the trial of Zuma goes ahead, progressive forces must ensure a fair trial by ensuring mass pressure, the statement said.
Sadtu claims to represent 220 000 members — the majority of South African teachers.
The NEC said the African National Congress’s national general council in July has supported the retention of Zuma as the deputy president of the ANC — symbolising the traditional inclusive and pro-working-class base of the ANC.
There were positive developments at a recent meeting of the tripartite alliance that began to address the Zuma issue.
”These were positive developments laying the groundwork for strengthening the unity of the alliance,” the NEC said.
It also said it is developing a campaign to demand that temporary teachers be appointed on a permanent basis, saying there are real challenges on the education front.
About 50 000 teachers nationally are employed on a temporary basis with no housing, pension or medical benefits.
”Some have been in this situation for years, resulting in widespread demoralisation.”
The recent education summit called by Minister of Education Naledi Pandor was a talk-shop.
”Sadtu provincial conferences will have to take up the real challenges that face us, especially in relation to teacher education and the appalling conditions prevailing in schools in poor and rural communities.”
There is also an education crisis in the Eastern Cape, with the department failing to pay backlogs and annual salary increments.
”A dispute has been declared regarding the dismissal of temporary teachers in the province,” the NEC said. — Sapa