Jacob Zuma Foundation slams ‘vague, ambiguous’ SCA ruling
The Jacob Zuma Foundation has labelled the recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal against the former president as "disappointing but not unexpected".
On Thursday, the Bloemfontein court dismissed the former president's application to appeal an unsuccessful attempt to remove prosecutor Billy Downer from his upcoming corruption trial.
"In our respectful view justice was most definitely not served in this case," says the foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi.
"The foundation is astounded by the glaring vagueness and the ambiguity inherent in this decision. A blanket approach and routine order of dismissal do not provide the required clarity.
"Court judgments are there to provide legal certainty and clarity so that subjective inferences are avoided.
"All litigants are entitled to know the exact and real reasons why their cases are successful or not and this is not the case here.
"Zuma has therefore briefed his legal team to do all that is necessary to approach the President of the SCA in line with the relevant legislation to seek appropriate remedies including the reconsideration, variation or clarification of the decision."
Zuma's corruption trial is scheduled to start on April 11 at the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
The former president, alongside French arms company Thales, is facing charges of corruption, racketeering, fraud, and money laundering in connection with the multi-billion rand arms deal.
"All that Zuma wants is a fair trial, and will leave no stone unturned to ensure that constitutional promise of the rule of law and equality before the law is evenly applied," says Manyi.
"For the criminal trial to proceed under the present conditions whilst these legal protections are being pursued would be a travesty of justice and a vindictive assault on our constitution."
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