The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) must not be used to bring down Jacob Zuma ahead of the African National Congress (ANC) conference to elect its next president, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Tuesday.
Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven said the congress had noted media reports that the NPA was to be deployed in a ”desperate bid” to bring Zuma to court to face charges of fraud, theft and corruption before the ANC conference in Polokwane.
Zuma, the current ANC deputy president, is the frontrunner to become the party’s — and thus South Africa’s — next president.
Craven said the congress doubted the impartiality and independence of NPA acting director Mokotedi Mpshe, who was appointed after President Thabo Mbeki suspended the previous head, Vusi Pikoli.
”The question we ask is whether Mpshe can withstand political pressure and will launch legal action, not with the purpose of winning any case, but just in a blatant and cynical attempt to tilt the balance at Polokwane by presenting the ANC deputy president in a negative light.”
Craven said ”such a manoeuvre will plunge the country into chaos and Cosatu will oppose it politically and in the streets”. — Sapa