Former president Jacob Zuma is taking on review Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo’s decision to preside over the State Capture Commission when Zuma appears before it.
Zondo refused Zuma’s request that he recuse himself from the Commission on Thursday.
He rejected the former president’s claims that they are friends and said his application of bias against him lacked the test of reasonable apprehension.
The former president will also be laying a complaint with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
“The issue of you becoming a judge in your own matter which on its own is a ground that Mr. Zuma mentioned I want to say we have also been instructed to lodge a complaint about you in that regard to the Judicial Service Commission in respect of the issue about which you have made yourself a witness or a judge. So chair I have no other instruction today or anywhere in the future until we have considered the review, except we would like to be excused from these proceedings.”
Zuma left the proceedings without Zondo’s permission on Thursday, forcing the commission to adjourn until Monday.
Constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos has warned that if Zuma excuses himself from the Commission without Zondo’s permission, he could be arrested.
De Vos says the ruling by Deputy Chief Justice did not come as a surprise as both the law and the facts were against the former president and his legal team.
