Crash buried as Duduzane Zuma scuttles to pay fines

Duduzane Zuma quickly and quietly settled R7,000 in traffic fines before an inquest into a fatal car crash with the help of a lawyer working to clean up his own image, leaked e-mails show.

Zuma's lawyer, Gary Mazaham, was paid about R700,000 and his work included having a private consultant settle three speeding fines for which warrants of arrest had been issued in Zuma's name with fines totalling R7,000.

Duduzane Zuma, President Jacob Zuma's son, collided in his Porsche with a taxi on the M1 highway in 2014. Phumzile Dube, 30, died at the scene and Jeanette Mashaba died in hospital a few weeks after the crash.

Mashaba's death was ruled a result of natural causes.

Zuma maintained that his car hit a puddle of water and he lost control, veering into the taxi, which in turn smashed into the barrier.

The fines were never brought up during the inquest and NPA spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku said the prosecuting authority was not aware of the speeding fines until asked questions.

Mazaham apparently also advised Zuma on how to doctor his testimony to fit in with his initial account to police after the accident.

This information comes to light following a The Times report yesterday in which it emerged that the NPA declined to prosecute Zuma, despite Randburg magistrate Lalitha Chetty ruling Zuma's actions led to Dube's death.

Asked about apparent contradictions in Zuma's two statements, Mfaku said: "Such evidence if in existence must be placed before the prosecution for same to be considered with all the facts surrounding this matter."

The Times also identified another discrepancy in the statement Mazaham prepared.

Zuma states that after the accident he phoned Rajesh "Tony" Gupta and a friend with whom he had been having dinner earlier.

"I advised him [the friend] that my phone battery was low and if he was unable to reach me I would probably be at the Sandton police station."

But Zuma, in fact, went home. It remains unexplained why he only gave a statement to police eight days after the crash.