Dali Mpofu Says HSF, Zondo Commission Has No Business Opposing Zuma’s Legal Bid
- Jacob Zuma's attorney, advocate Dali Mpofu has told the Pietermaritzburg High Court that the Zondo Commission and Helen Suzman Foundation are uninvited busybodies
- Mpofu was arguing in the matter between the two parties and his client over the Constitutional Court's decision to hear Zuma's recission application in a bid to have his arrest stayed on 12 July
- Mpofu told the court that the former president’s application sought to interdict the implementation of the arrest order given by the ConCourt
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Senior Counsel and former National Chairperson of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) advocate Dali Mpofu has taken levelled shots at the Zondo Commission and Helen Suzman Foundation (HSF).
This is as scenes played out at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday, 6 July, in former president Jacob Zuma’s application to have his arrest stayed. The small matter around jurisdiction featured prominently in the legal fracas between the State and Zuma's defence.
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News understands the Zondo Commission and the Helen Suzman Foundation were the only parties opposing the former president’s application after he was ordered to hand himself over to a police station in Nkandla or Johannesburg on Sunday, 4 July, five days after the court ruling.
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Zuma was found guilty of contempt of court by the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) on 29 June and sentenced to serve 15 months in prison. In the apex court's judgment, then-Acting Chief Justice Sisi Khampepe also directed Police Minister Bheki Cele to carry out Zuma's arrest should he fail to comply with the arrest warrant.
In a shocking turn of events, the ConCourt has since agreed to grant Zuma a rescission hearing on Monday, 12 July, where Zuma's legal counsel will attempt to have the court set aside both the contempt of court order and the prison sentence.
Mpofu gives court a lesson in the interpretation of the law
During the proceedings on Tuesday, Mpofu – Zuma’s attorney – told the court that the former president’s application sought to interdict the implementation of the arrest order given by the ConCourt.
He said that the Zondo Commission and the HSF had no business in opposing Zuma’s application. To this effect, the advocate labelled the two parties as "uninvited busybodies".
Mpofu also explained that the high court had jurisdiction to grant an interim interdict to stay Zuma arrest. He was quoted as saying:
“Whether a high court will have jurisdiction to grant interim relief pending a matter exclusively within this court’s jurisdiction, in other words, the [ConCourt], does not depend on the form or effect of the interim relief … it depends on the proper interpretation of the relevant provision and on the substance of the order.
“So, the substance of the order here [is that] we have already said Section 172 and the common law [interdict] and Part B consideration,” he said.
Police Minister Bheki Cele vows to arrest all lockdown lawbreakers
In light of the recent dramatic scenes that played out in Nkandla, the Minister of Police Bheki Cele has vowed to throw the book at all those who flouted lockdown regulations.
Recently, Briefly News reported that thousands turned up outside the home of former president Jacob Zuma in the last few days in a show of support over his Constitutional Court (ConCourt) judgement.
The ruling found Zuma guilty of contempt of court for which the then-Acting Chief Justice, Sisi Khampepe, sentenced the former statesman to serve 15-months in prison.
In response and in solidarity with the ageing Zuma, throngs of supporters headed to his homestead located in northern KwaZulu-Natal, before clashing with police at the weekend.
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Source: Briefly News
