Khulubuse Zuma claims he is in the country and not in the UAE 

Khulubuse Zuma, former Director of the liquidated Aurora Empowerment Systems, phoned Gideon du Plessis of Solidarity last night and argued that he never left the country and that Solidarity’s recent press release which claims that Zuma finds himself in the United Arab Emirates, is false. 

Zuma argued that he has been living at his private residence all this time. Zuma further indicated that he is aware of facing sequestration because he didn’t comply with the terms of a repayment agreement entered into with the Aurora liquidators. According to Zuma he is in serious financial trouble, and he won’t be able to oppose the sequestration application that will be heard on 8 December 2017 in the Durban High Court. He also won’t be able to afford legal representation. 

To give clarity on where Zuma is currently finding himself, Mr. John Walker, legal representative of the Pamodzi liquidators, informed Solidarity that the sheriff could not serve the sequestration order against Zuma at his private residence, because he was not living there and the security guard said that Zuma wasn’t at home for quite some time. The order could also not be served to Zuma’s lawyers because none of his previous legal representatives was able to contact him. 

In the telephone conversation between Du Plessis and Zuma, Zuma further argued that he is targeted because he is a “Zuma” and that he is a victim because of a political agenda, especially because of his connection with his uncle, President Jacob Zuma. 

From a different political angle, Du Plessis argues that political influence behind the scenes is clearly visible, since the legal processes were frustrated before the Aurora directors were finally found guilty of the R1,5 billion damage caused to the Pamodzi mining assets and the large-scale corruption that were committed. However, Zuma was the only Aurora director who was not found guilty of corruption. 

Zuma also told Du Plessis that the bad news coverage he received because of the Aurora saga, ruined all his business interests and future business opportunities. However, Du Plessis pointed out to Zuma that 5 300 innocent Aurora employees lost their jobs due to Aurora’s gross mismanagement and corruption, and that they are now immersed in poverty. Furthermore, that millions of rand’s in outstanding salaries are still owed to them.

Statement issued by Gideon du Plessis, General Secretary, Solidarity, 7 October 2017