Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen on Tuesday called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to “break his silence on the Jacob Zuma matter and the lawlessness in Nkandla”.
Steenhusien said: “It’s absolutely essential that President Ramaphosa speaks up and speaks out about events in South Africa over the last week.
“To date, he has remained silent on both the Constitutional Court findings and also the events outside Nkandla over the course of this weekend
“Unless he does so it’s going to be very clear there are two sets of rules for South Africans.
“One for the citizens and one for the connected few like former president Jacob Zuma.”
Hundreds of people, some carrying traditional weapons and others in camouflage or ANC regalia, gathered outside the homestead of the former president at the weekend.
They were there to support Zuma and prevent his arrest for contempt of court.
The gatherings were in defiance of level four Covid-19 restrictions.
Last week the ConCourt found the 79-year-old former president guilty of contempt of court and sentenced him to 15 months in prison.
The court ordered Zuma to hand himself over by Sunday – something he said he would not do and did not do.
His family and vocal supporters said they would not allow the former president to be arrested by police.
Today, Zuma’s lawyers are at the Pietermaritzburg High Court trying to have the order of arrest put on hold.
In another development, Zuma was at the weekend granted a hearing with the ConCourt for Monday, 12 July.
Police Minister Bheki Cele said the police did not act against the huge gathering at Nkandla because they were concerned about women and children possibly getting hurt.
He, however, said video evidence would be used to pursue those who broke the law.
Regarding Zuma’s situation, Cele said he will wait for advice from the chief justice on whether he should still enforce the arrest or wait for Monday’s Concourt hearing.
Despite efforts to draw Ramaphosa into the public debate on Zuma’s defiant stance, the president has maintained a dignified silence on the matter.
However, the DA leader warned that if Ramaphosa failed to act he would be remembered as the president who was quite happy to jail joggers but was unwilling to act against his own associates in the ANC.
