Preparations are in place for former President Jacob Zuma‘s appearance at the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in Parktown, Johannesburg, on Monday morning.
All eyes will be at the Commission Zuma gives his side of the story.
At least eight witnesses, who have appeared before the commission, have implicated Zuma in the alleged looting of state resources in the last decade of his administration.
But he has denied any wrongdoing and says he will take the stand on Monday morning as requested.
Those who have implicated him include his former ministers Nhlanhla Nene, Barabara Hogan as well as the former editor of the now-defunct ANN7 News Channel, Rajesh Sundaram among others.
The public can attend the hearings
Only 200 people will be allowed to register and to attend the hearings.
The Commission’s Spokesperson Mbuyiselo Stemela says registration will be on a first-come first-serve basis.
“Members of the public are requested to bring their drivers licenses, any positive ID for them to be able to register.
“And we want to make the public aware that the venue is only allowing 200 people to sit in. It is on a first come first serve basis. People who come first will be registered first,” Stemela emphasizes.
He adds that “There will be no preferential treatment in that regard, therefore, people must make sure that they come so that when the venue is overflowing they can go to Peter Rose park where other members of the public will be gathering.”
Security will be tight in Parktown, Johannesburg, where Zuma is scheduled to appear.
Zuma’s expected appearance at the Commission is likely to attract large crowds as the former President is alleged to be at the center of State Capture.
DA to attend State Capture hearing
The DA’s Natasha Mazzone says they would like to hear first hand exactly what answers Zuma will give to the Commission where he is expected to appear.
“One of the main reasons we are attending, it is quite a thing to have an ex-president to come and testify. A lot of evidence given at the State Capture hearing has fingered President Jacob Zuma as one of the architects of the State Capture and one of the designers who executed State Capture on his watch. And I think now the country waits to hear his response in the many allegations.”
