'I need my kids to ride for me the way he rides for his dad': SA weighs on Edward Zuma's defence

Edward Zuma's defence of his father, former president Jacob Zuma, has seen him topping the trending list on social media as scores weigh in.

Edward, on Tuesday, told media outside his family homestead in Nkandla that law enforcement officers would have to kill him before they arrest his father.

Zuma was found guilty of contempt of court by the Constitutional Court after he failed to comply with an order to appear before the state capture inquiry.

The former president was sentenced to 15 months in prison and was given five days to hand himself over to police. The ruling cannot be appealed.

Edward said Zuma’s arrest was a “situation of war”.

“My position has been known and I still maintain that whatever decisions are taken by law enforcement agents, they will have to kill me before such a thing is implemented,” he said.

“I will lay down my life for [former] President Zuma, they are not going to take him to prison when I'm still alive, they will have to kill me first. I insist on that.”

He added: “It's unfortunate that if it ever happens (Zuma goes to jail) I will not be able to see him because I will be dead then.”

This is not the first time Edward has said he will protect his father from being arrested. Earlier this year he told Newzroom Afrika he was going to get a locksmith to lock the gates of the homestead.

“We have a simple defence. We have locksmiths, I’ll simply put a lock on the gate and nobody will get access. If they break that, then they are breaking the law and I’ll have to defend myself and defend the property of our family,” he said.

On social media, many found the defence funny.

Here is a snapshot of some of the reactions: