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/ 4 December 2007

The great Zuma debate

In the fierce debate raging around the man tipped to become South Africa’s next president, African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma, there are few neutrals. With less than a fortnight to go before the ruling party’s national conference in Polokwane, reports show a country split over the politician.

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/ 29 November 2007

Acting NDPP to be briefed on Zuma

A ”final briefing” on whether African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma would have to face new corruption charges would be given to the acting National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) on Thursday. The National Prosecuting Authority said in a statement that the prosecution team was due to brief Mokotedi Mpshe on the case.

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/ 27 November 2007

Cosatu: NPA must not be used to bring down Zuma

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) must not be used to bring down Jacob Zuma ahead of the African National Congress conference to elect its next president, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Tuesday. Zuma, the current ANC deputy president, is the frontrunner to become the party’s next president.

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/ 27 November 2007

Accused’s illness delays nuclear trial

The trial of the Swiss design engineer Daniel Geiges, who was allegedly part of an international nuclear smuggling ring, was postponed on Tuesday because he was too ill to stand trial. The Pretoria High Court was earlier told that Geiges (69) had been diagnosed with cancer of the rectum and was undergoing ”severe treatment”.

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/ 27 November 2007

Move to expedite Pikoli inquiry

The commission appointed to investigate whether National Prosecution Authority head Vusi Pikoli was fit to hold office on Monday held a meeting with Department of Justice and Constitutional Development officials and Pikoli in a bid to expedite the investigation, the commission said on Tuesday.

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/ 22 November 2007

Selebi review not yet complete, says NPA

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was not ready to announce a date for the completion of the review of the case against police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, it said on Thursday. Acting NPA head Mokotedi Mpshe was instructed to reconsider the case following the suspension of National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli.

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/ 19 November 2007

NPA: Still no decision on Zuma charges

<a href="http://www.mg.co.za/specialreport.aspx?area=zuma_report"><img src="http://www.mg.co.za/ContentImages/243078/zuma.jpg" align=left border=0></a>There was no word yet on whether African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma would have to face new corruption charges as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was still considering the case, an NPA spokesperson said on Monday. "It is a very painstaking process of consideration," said NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali.

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/ 11 November 2007

Officials ‘siphoned off’ farmers’ billions

Top Land Bank officials have siphoned off more than R2-billion — meant for farmers — to fund their close friends’ and associates’ ventures, the <i>Sunday Times</i> reported. The money was reportedly used for luxury golf estates, a sugar mill, equestrian estates and residential developments. The fraud was revealed in a forensic audit by Deloitte, which was handed to the Cabinet this week.

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/ 8 November 2007

Zuma’s future hinges on NPA’s next move

With just more than a month to the African National Congress presidential election, Jacob Zuma will be waiting to see whether the National Prosecuting Authority will recharge him for corruption. Court rulings on Thursday clarified the status of searches and documents related to the investigation against him concerning alleged corruption in the arms deal.

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/ 8 November 2007

McBride case only in court next year

Ekhurhuleni metro police chief Robert McBride has had his drunk-driving trial postponed to March 17 next year, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Thursday. NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali said the reason for the postponement was apparently because the defence wanted to get another legal representative on its team.

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/ 8 November 2007

NPA ‘pleased’ with Zuma appeals

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Thursday expressed its satisfaction after it won all its appeals in the Supreme Court of Appeal in its legal battle with African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma. ”It brings certainty and finality at least up to this point on the contested issues,” said NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali.

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/ 8 November 2007

Zuma to approach Constitutional Court

African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma will approach the Constitutional Court for leave to appeal two of Thursday’s Supreme Court of Appeal judgements, said his lawyer. They would also ”observe with keen interest” whether the rulings emboldened the National Prosecuting Authority to again indict Zuma on any charges.

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/ 7 November 2007

Land Bank audit report goes to prosecutors

A forensic audit report into the financial management of the Land Bank is to be referred to the National Directorate of Public Prosecutions for ”further investigation”, the Land Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday. This was among recommendations made by the Cabinet after consideration of the report, it said in a statement.

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/ 2 November 2007

NPA: Probe into Scorpions boss won’t affect Kebble case

A police fraud and corruption investigation into Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel would not impact on his handling of the probe into the death of Brett Kebble, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Friday. ”There is nothing at hand to suggest this investigation will in any way impact on all matters on which advocate Nel is working,” said NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali.

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/ 23 October 2007

Manto’s records under the spotlight

Under no circumstances should a patient’s medical records be disclosed unless he or she gives personal consent, a seminar hosted by the South African Human Rights Commission was told on Tuesday. Chairperson of the South African Medical Association Dr Kgosi Letlape said medical records should not be disclosed without consent.

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/ 23 October 2007

Manto docket returned to the police

The docket on the theft of Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang’s medical records was returned to the police on Monday, said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). ”It became necessary for us to do so because there are certain areas of investigation which still need to receive attention,” said NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali.

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/ 18 October 2007

Cosatu fears politics behind Pikoli suspension

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) fears party politics was behind the suspension of National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli, it said on Thursday. The way in which he was suspended raised ”serious suspicion” that the government may have intervened for ”narrow political reasons”, said spokesperson Patrick Craven.

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/ 17 October 2007

Mystery surrounds Kebble ‘draft affidavit’

Clinton Nassif’s lawyer has refused to confirm ”dramatic new details” about his role in the September 2005 death of his boss, mining magnate Brett Kebble, supposedly contained in a draft affidavit leaked to the media on Wednesday. Lawyer Marius du Toit said Nassif’s legal team could not ”vouch for its correctness”.

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/ 16 October 2007

NPA: No imminent arrest of Makhanya

Western Cape police and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Tuesday scoffed at claims that police are about to arrest Sunday Times editor Mondli Makhanya and deputy managing editor Jocelyn Maker. ”We wish to state that there is no truth in reports that [they] will be arrested and/or be brought before court this week,” NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali said.

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/ 15 October 2007

ANCYL wants Scorpions probed

The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) plans to ask the Public Protector to investigate whether the Scorpions’ investigating unit has a political agenda and is abusing its power, the league said on Monday. Spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said the ANCYL was in the process of making an appointment with the Public Protector to discuss its concerns.

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/ 12 October 2007

Selebi pledges to work with review panel

Police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi has pledged his full cooperation with a panel of experts named on Friday to review a criminal probe against him. ”As an individual, I will fully cooperate with the members of the panel as announced … by the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority],” Selebi said in a statement.