ConCourt will hear Jacob Zuma contempt application on March 25

The Constitutional Court will hear an application by the state capture inquiry to have former president Jacob Zuma declared to be in contempt of court for defying a summons to testify on March 25.

The commission launched the application last week after Zuma failed to appear before it.

Commission secretary Prof Itumeleng Mosala said in his application that Zuma had committed a number of contemptuous acts.

He said Zuma failed to turn up when he was summoned to, failed to file affidavits as per the Constitutional Court’s order, and that “scurrilous statements” were made against the Constitutional Court and the judiciary.

Directions released by the court on Monday said Zuma, the minister of police and the national police commissioner must file answering papers, if any, by March 8.

The court directed that written submissions must be lodged by the commission on or before March 15 and by the respondents on or before March 19.

The court said the hearing would take place on a virtual platform.

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