Zuma spent R15.3m of taxpayers’ money to avoid prosecution
Former President Jacob Zuma spent R15.3-million in his battle to avoid prosecution - all funded by the taxpayer.
President Cyril Ramaphosa disclosed this information to the Democratic Alliance on Tuesday‚ in a bid to settle legal action bought by the party over Zuma's refusal to disclose his legal fees in the so-called Spy Tapes case.
The State Attorney indicated that Ramaphosa intends to disclose this information in Parliament on Wednesday‚ in response to questions from EFF leader Julius Malema.
Malema also wants to know "on what legal provision(s) or policy did the State rely when using state resources to fund the former President's legal costs?"
Zuma steadfastly avoided answering DA leader Mmusi Maimane's questions about how much his so-called Stalingrad campaign has cost taxpayers.
And that may be because he has agreed to pay back the money if he's convicted.
Ramaphosa's spokesperson Tyrone Seale last week told Financial Mail that the state would continue to fund Zuma's legal fees if he went on trial for corruption‚ on the basis of an undertaking that was concluded between Zuma and then president Thabo Mbeki in 2006.
"The former President signed an undertaking to refund the state if he is found to have acted in his personal capacity and own interest in the commission of offences with which he was charged."
It remains unclear whether these costs will include the money spent by Zuma in avoiding prosecution.
Maimane told TimesLIVE on Tuesday evening that the DA would ensure the money was paid back.
“We want to claim it back and we want to ensure that Zuma is personally liable. We will do an analysis of how the determination went," he said.