Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane on Saturday accused President Jacob Zuma of corrupting the State and capturing its institutions that fight corruption for his “own nefarious means” – and warned that the DA would not allow the fight against corruption to be undermined.
“President Zuma has for too long undermined efforts to hold him accountable‚ by showing disdain for the judiciary and its many damning judgments against him. He has also tried‚ after being investigated by the former Public Protector‚ Advocate Madonsela to disregard the authority of the Office of the Public Protector by referring to it as an ‘Ombudsman’.
“This man is dangerous for our fragile democracy‚” Maimane asserted.
He made the remarks during a public meeting in New Brighton‚ Nelson Mandela Bay‚ in the Eastern Cape ahead of local government by-elections scheduled for November 9.
“President Jacob Zuma has perfected the crime of corruption by ensuring that the institutions tasked with uncovering and prosecuting against corruption are headed by yes men and women who have no regard for the Constitution‚ the Rule of Law and you‚ the people of South Africa.
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“We’re not surprised when there’s corruption and the name Jacob Zuma comes up‚ because he is the same man who started his first term in office‚ seven years ago‚ with 783 counts of money laundering‚ racketeering and corruption hanging over his ‘ugly head of impunity’‚” Maimane charged.
He added that in the last seven years Zuma had “captured the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA); a long list of strategic state-owned companies; he dismantled the corruption-busting Scorpions and replaced it with the political hit squad called The Hawks; Zuma’s Executive has turned Parliament into a lap dog; he is currently trying to capture the keys to the National Treasury; and his latest act of corruption is to compromise the constitutionally mandated Public Protector so that the ‘Final Report’ into State Capture never sees the light of day”.
“The independence and credibility of the NPA wanes every day as its National Director‚ Adv. Shaun Abrahams turns it into the ‘JPA’ – Jacob’s Personal Assistant. This body is now tasked with eliminating those who work to remove President Zuma’s death grip on the State‚” Maimane stated.
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