Time for Shaun Abrahams to act like a wolf -- not a sheep

It is time for National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams to act like a wolf, not a sheep – or at the very least, to act like a sheep with teeth.

Abrahams must move with speed to reinstate charges against President Jacob Zuma now that the Supreme Court of Appeal has swept aside attempts to protect him from prosecution on 783 counts of fraud, corruption and money-laundering.

The Save South Africa campaign says: Zuma cannot and must not be shielded from prosecution any longer.

The National Prosecuting Authority’s reputation is in tatters as a result of today’s Supreme Court of Appeal evaluation of how it handled the “spy tapes” saga.

It’s clear there has been far too much political interference in this case already – from the NPA’s irregular accessing of the spy tapes, through to its politically-driven decision to use them as an excuse not to prosecute Zuma.

So: even though the South African public has no reason for confidence in the current head of the NPA, we insist that Abrahams does the right thing – for once – and ensure Zuma has his day in court. 

Save South Africa’s view is clear: the case against Zuma must proceed, and he must face the music, regardless of the Presidency’s attempts this afternoon to cast doubt on the integrity of an audit report that may form part of the evidence. The Presidency’s new-found interest in possible audit failures, after being silent throughout the entire KPMG saga, smacks of opportunism.

Once Zuma has faced the music on the 783 counts of corruption and fraud, he must go back in the dock to explain the countless other allegations against him. This includes his role at the centre of state capture, the facilitation of corruption by his son Duduzane and his adoptive parents, the Guptas, and his role as commander-in-chief of the looting of more than R100-billion in public money -- not to mention his direct role in selling South Africa’s sovereignty.

Statement issued by Save SA, 13 October 2017