LISTEN | 'The right thing will be for Ramaphosa to stand trial' — Niehaus
Image: Luba Lesolle
Former ANC member Carl Niehaus says the right thing for President Cyril Ramaphosa to do is to stand trial in former president Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution bid against him.
Niehaus was speaking to the media before proceedings in the Johannesburg high court on Thursday.
Listen to what he has to say:
“The worst thing that we have seen about Ramaphosa throughout his whole presidency is the unpreparedness to take responsibility and to be accountable. We have seen that from the beginning,” said Niehaus.
The two-part matter revolves around Ramaphosa's application challenging Zuma's private prosecution, seeking to have it declared unlawful and unconstitutional, and to interdict further steps in the prosecution.
Zuma’s criminal charge is that Ramaphosa is an “accessory after the fact” in relation to charges he is pursuing against prosecutor Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan.
Niehaus said he would not speculate on the outcome, rather waiting to see what the court decides.
“I hope they are not going to give in to the strength and power of a presiding president.”
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