Mzwanele Manyi says Zuma not afforded rights due, takes shots at ConCourt judges

Mzwanele Manyi says Zuma not afforded rights due, takes shots at ConCourt judges

  • Jacob Zuma's spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi has lambasted the Constitutional Court's apparent treatment of the former president of South Africa
  • Manyi has accused the ConCourt of not affording the 79-year-old Zuma the same rights other criminals are afforded
  • South Africa's former president and the fourth to be elected democratically has been sentenced to 15-months in prison in a landmark judgement by the court

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Jacob Zuma's recently appointed spokesperson and member of the African Transformation Movement (ATM) Mzwanele Manyi has added his voice to the chorus following the ConCourt's landmark judgement on Tuesday, 29 June.

Manyi is of the opinion that the former statesman was not afforded the rights other criminals are afforded, which he ought to be.

Mzwanele Manyi, Jacob Zuma, Constitutional Court, Zondo Commission, State Capture Inquiry, ConCourt, Judges, Contempt
Jacob Zuma's spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi has blasted the Constitutional Court's judges' apparent treatment of the former president. Image: Veli Nhlapo/ Sowetan, Simon Maina/ AFP.
Source: Getty Images

South Africa's former president and the fourth to be elected democratically has been sentenced to 15-months in prison. He was found guilty of contempt of court after he failed to comply with an order to appear before the Zondo Commission earlier this year.

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Zuma was defiant in his stance not to appear before the commission, despite the chairperson Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo's insistence, and later ultimatum, to do so. Zuma has since been given a window of five days, which expires Sunday, to hand himself over to the police.

Manyi irked by the court's handling of the former president

Speaking on Radio 702, Manyi alleged the former president's right to appeal the judgment was taken away, and Zuma will go to jail without being offered the same rights other criminals are afforded.

Manyi was making the comments on the back of an additional ruling that the judgement cannot be appealed.

"We have a situation where, when the court likes, they treat the case as if it is a civil case. When they like, they treat the person [as] a criminal. Zuma has a criminal sentence but was not afforded the rights other criminals are afforded," insisted Manyi.

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Briefly News reported recently that Edward Zuma, who is the son of Jacob Zuma, stressed that law enforcement officers would have to go as far as "killing" him before they can get to his father.

Edward said:

"My position has been known and I still maintain that whatever decisions are taken by law enforcement agents, they will have to kill me before such a thing is implemented."

According to TimesLIVE, Acting Chief Justice Sisi Khampepe, who read the ConCourt judgment, said Zuma’s contempt was “extraordinary” and he had disregarded the authority of the court.

Edward Zuma makes bold challenge, rejects court judgement

Per a previous report by Briefly News, Edward has taken a completely defiant stance on the ConCourt's judgement against his ex-president father as he made the declaration he would have to be killed if authorities are to have their way.

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Edward's comments came shortly following the decision. He was speaking to reporters outside the Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal.

The younger Zuma did not mince his words as he said that drastic measures would have to be taken before this can be carried out.

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Source: Briefly News

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