Former president Jacob Zuma is "satisfied" that nothing in the evidence led at the Zondo commission on state capture so far had implicated him in criminal or ethical wrongdoing.
Lawyers acting for him wrote in a letter to the state capture inquiry, which TimesLIVE has seen: "We are unable at this stage to comment on the phenomenon or offence referred to as ‘state capture’ whose elements and/or existence or otherwise remain the subject of investigation by the commission."
The letter — dated August 31 and sent by Johannesburg-based Lungisani Mantsha Attorneys — reveals that the inquiry‚ chaired by deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo‚ had notified Zuma that he may be implicated by the evidence of former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas‚ former ANC MP Vytjie Mentor‚ former and current government communications heads Themba Maseko and Phumla Williams, and former public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan.
Zuma’s attorney. Daniel Lungisani Mantsha, is‚ however‚ not convinced this testimony implicated Zuma in violating criminal law or ethical legislation.
"We are satisfied that nothing in the aforementioned witnesses’ statements [by Mentor‚ Jonas‚ Maseko or Williams] implicates or may implicate our client in the infringement of the aforementioned statutes‚ policies of government and relevant ethical codes‚" he writes in the letter.
Zuma has not applied to cross-examine a single witness and has never responded under oath to the state capture allegations against him.
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