Spy Tapes: DA to seek order to compel NPA to file answering affidavit
2 February 2015
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has today missed a second consecutive deadline to file its answering affidavit to the DA's application for a review of the decision to drop over 700 charges of corruption against President Jacob Zuma.
The NPA had originally agreed to file their affidavit late last week but missed this deadline, citing time constraints. The DA, its attorneys and the NPA agreed to extend the deadline until today, only for the deadline to lapse once again for no apparent reason.
After agreeing to two separate dates by which to file this answering affidavit and failing to meet both deadlines agreed to, the only logical conclusion is that the NPA is intent on delaying the hearing of this matter for as long as possible.
The DA will therefore be seeking an order to compel the NPA to file this answering affidavit as they have agreed to do.
Following five years of taxpayer-funded obstruction, it is unfortunate to see that the NPA is hell-bent on postponing justice even further.
The DA, in November, lodged a supplementary affidavit (that can be found here) that outlines the reasons why the decision to drop the charges against President Zuma was in fact irrational, and should therefore be set aside.
It is an absolute outrage that President Zuma has, over the last five years, used taxpayer's money to bankroll the his opposition to the release of the Spy Tapes. In the end the President's legal counsel was forced to concede before Supreme Court judges that they had no case.
The DA remains confident that the contents of the so-called "Spy Tapes" justify a review of the decision to withdraw charges of corruption against President Zuma.
As such we will be pursuing an order to compel the NPA to produce its answering affidavit immediately so that justice can take its course, and the President can have his day in court.
Statement issued by James Selfe MP, Chairperson of the DA's Federal Executive, February 3 2015
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