Dear Naomi Campbell: Zuma has absolutely no problem appearing before the Commission, the problem is appearing before Deputy Chief Justice Zondo

By Jabu Zuma

The South Africa you claim to remember is one you experienced from the comfort of a presidential guesthouse and luxury accommodation, linking arms with war lords and blood diamonds keeping you company. A couple visits to South Africa and being a friend of Madiba does not equate to you knowing South Africa, understand that. What you remember South Africa to be, is not, and has never been a reflection of the true South Africa...

In case you aren't aware, President Zuma is one of those South Africans that fought for the liberation of this country, literally. He spent 10 years on Robben Island, +/- 15 years in exile and many more actively fighting for the liberation of this country and its people day in and day out - so don't you dare think you're in a position to tell anyone and especially not him about South Africa.

That battle against HIV/AIDS? Don't forget that President Zuma was at the forefront of that, you'll recall the mass roll out of ARVs to help combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic was implemented by him, so please. 

When you say he has gone out of his way to avoid court you are sorely mistaken - he has shown up to every court appearance except in cases whereby it was beyond his control. If you actually take a closer look at how things have played out, you'll notice a trend of the Prosecution calling for proceedings to be postponed. So if anyone is "avoiding" or delaying anything; look to the state.

Regarding the issue relating to the State Capture Commission of Inquiry, let me explain to you how we got here since it is evident you're speaking from a place of little (read no) knowledge. 

President Zuma has never had an issue with appearing before the Commission, he's done so previously, his issue lies with having to appear before Deputy Chief Justice Zondo, here's why. Deputy Chief Justice Zondo and President Zuma have had a close personal relationship, which creates an obvious conflict of interest hence he asked for the Deputy Chief Justice Zondo to recuse himself. 

In his request he argued that “it is a trite principle of law that a judge cannot sit in his own case or in the adjudication of factual disputes arising from his own statement of facts judged against allegations raising disputes with his statement."

Deputy Chief Justice Zondo who has denied the well-known close personal relationship between him and the President then ruled, in his own favour, on that same recusal application. Does it make sense to you that a judge rules on a matter in which they are involved and sits at the core of? 

Is it possible for one to be impartial in a case that involves them? The law has clear prescriptions on such instances so what kind of court/commission allows for such a blatant disregard for the same law that they claim to promote and protect? 

These are valid concerns that led President Zuma to opt rather to not appear before Deputy Chief Justice Zondo at the commission. Understand this, President Zuma has absolutely no problem with appearing before the commission, the problem is appearing before Deputy Chief justice Zondo, a judge who we cannot be sure is impartial (justifiably so). Zondo recuses himself, Zuma goes to the Commission. Simple. 

If you're going to call for President Zuma to go before the commission, keep the same energy for everyone else who has also been summoned by the commission but refused to appear. I'm talking about the likes of Koos Bekker (Chairperson of Naspers Media Group) who has not faced any consequences for his defiance of the commission.

Where was this energy during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which was founded by your close friend Madiba, when P W Botha refused to appear before the commission?  

You had been around for a while by then yet had nothing to say. As for the violence and criminality that you say is under the #FreeZuma banner, again if you had actually done just a little bit of research you would understand that the civil unrest is bigger than President Zuma's arrest. 

South Africans are hungry, impoverished, unemployed and tired of living in a country whereby the government actively marginalises them. As history shows, when the poor have nothing else left to eat they eat the rich. 

Since you're in the mood to condemn, start with the Ramaphosa administration that has looted an estimated R500 billion in COVID-19 relief funds yet expects its people to live off of R350/month in a pandemic. The Ramaphosa administration that has failed dismally to provide its people with adequate healthcare in a pandemic when they needed it the most.

The Ramaphosa administration that casually unleashes violence on its most vulnerable people when they cry for help. The Ramaphosa administration that spreads dangerous misinformation about the civil unrest. The Ramaphosa administration that is repossessing and destroying basic necessities from the poor. These are all wrongs that we have actually witnessed and are backed up by real evidence. 

Please understand that what you call "Madiba's vision" is actually the shared vision of the many freedom fighters and liberators who fought tirelessly for our freedom and as I have mentioned; President Zuma is one of those people. 

The discussions that were had and efforts that were made to help see that vision through, he was physically part of. We're talking about someone who was elected as a member of the ANC NEC in 1977 and was trained in the Soviet Union, amongst many other things to see that vision through. 

Armed struggle? He helped facilitate. Groote Schuur Minutes? He was in that room. CODESA negotiations. He was at that table. Negotiations for peace between the ANC and the IFP? He was at the forefront. The list goes on.

 You're simply in no position to tell him, or anyone else, about what is and what isn't good for that vision, a vision that is also his. You have no idea how much President Zuma has done, has sacrificed, has had to withstand, in an effort to see that vision come to fruition. 

He joined the liberation movement at age 17 and is now 79 years old and still at it - he, quite literally, has been actively fighting all his life for it. President Zuma has dedicated his life to this fight and has done significantly more than you ever could for that vision so you, of all people, will not be making any recommendations about what he should do - you're simply not qualified and must be deluded to think you could ever!  

Agree to keep your unsolicited opinions to yourself where you lack knowledge (this is one of those times). This is bigger than you and I; let's leave it to the adults. #NgekeSizweNgoNaomi! #FREEJACOBZUMA