Zuma 'outraged' by attack on Farlam

18 August 2015 - 02:12 By Kingdom Mabuza

The Presidency yesterday hit back at Dumisa Ntsebeza, one of the lawyers representing the families of miners killed in the Marikana massacre, for remarks made at the commemoration on Sunday of the third anniversary of the killings. Ntsebeza told those attending the commemoration that, in 2012, when Judge Ian Farlam was appointed to chair the Marikana commission of inquiry, he received a phone call from a man he did not identify.Ntsebeza told the rally that the man reminded him that Farlam had been the only judge to find in favour of President Jacob Zuma during the corruption case involving armaments company Thint in the Bloemfontein High Court. Thint faced allegations of bribery and corruption in relation to the arms deal. The company has consistently denied the allegations.Yesterday Zuma's spokesman, Bongani Majola, said the president was taken aback by Ntsebeza's attack on Farlam."The Presidency is shocked and outraged at the attack on Judge Ian Farlam ... An attack on a member of the judiciary - whether past or present - by a senior member of the legal profession, who also sits on the Judicial Service Commission, is shocking to say the least," he said.The Economic Freedom Fighters defended Ntsebeza and called on Zuma to explain why he protected the head of a commission he had appointed but not others."Judges who each day act in the name of our courts have been attacked and criticised by ministers Blade Nzimande and Nathi Nhleko, as well as by [ANC secretary-general] Gwede Mantashe, yet there has never been a single statement [by the Presidency] in defence of the judiciary or a reprimand of the cabinet," EFF spokesman Fana Mokoena said yesterday...

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