'Have they lost their minds?’- Carl Niehaus slams Zondo for recommending jail time for Zuma

MKMVA spokesperson calls the recommendation a 'dictatorship of the judiciary'

23 February 2021 - 09:30 By unathi nkanjeni
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Carl Niehaus, spokesperson for the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association, says the two-year jail time Jacob Zuma is "a dictatorship of the judiciary".
Carl Niehaus, spokesperson for the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association, says the two-year jail time Jacob Zuma is "a dictatorship of the judiciary".
Image: Jackie Clausen

uMkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) spokesperson Carl Niehaus has slammed deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo for asking that former president Jacob Zuma be jailed for contempt of court.

On Monday, the state capture commission requested the Constitutional Court to sentence Zuma to two years in jail for his refusal to testify at the inquiry last week, despite a summons and a court order from the highest court to do so.

The commission said Zuma's failure to appear before it and failing to file affidavits as directed by the court were the grounds on which he should be found guilty of contempt.

The commission believes the two years' jail time is needed to reflect the expectation of society that a person in a leadership position “with immense influence should comply with the law rather than displaying contempt of the law”.

However, Niehaus expressed an opposite view, referring to the notion as “a dictatorship of the judiciary”.

He said jailing Zuma would “push our country over the brink”.

“Have Judge Zondo and the whole state capture commission lost their minds?” he asked.

“Are they hell-bent to deepen the crisis that they have created, and push our country over the brink? This is now a dictatorship of the judiciary. MKMVA will oppose this to the hilt.”

Niehaus hit back at suggestions he should also be arrested for inciting violence, saying any attempt to arrest Zuma will be “bad” for the country and the ANC.

DA MP Phumzile Van Damme said Niehaus' stance was “embarrassing” and he needed to stop.

“Please stop this, man, it’s quite enough now,” said Van Damme.

“We don’t deserve to be spectators to the embarrassing things you do to yourself,” she added.


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