Zuma appoints inquiry into arms deal

A new commission of inquiry to investigate allegations of wrongdoing in the arms deal is to be appointed, President Jacob Zuma's office said on Thursday.

"The president will soon announce the terms of reference and the composition of the commission, including the time frames," Zuma's spokesman Mac Maharaj said in a statement.

Zuma had requested Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe to take the necessary steps to put this decision into effect, he said.

In 2009, legal proceedings were instituted in the Western Cape High Court asking the court to direct the president to appoint an independent judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of wrongdoing, or to require him to reconsider his refusal to do so.

It later transpired that the Western Cape High Court was the wrong forum to hear the matter. An application was then brought in the Constitutional Court. The matter was set down for hearing on November 17.

Maharaj said Zuma assumed office when the matter was already pending in the courts of law.

"He had previously taken a view that since the matter was the subject of litigation in a court of law, he should allow the legal process to take its course," Maharaj said.

"However, he has since taken into account the various developments around this matter and also the fact that closure on this subject will be in the public interest."

Edited by: Sapa

Comments by Sonny

Twelve years too late.....

Now that Zuma has the Judiciary in place, hand picked by him, to protect his

interests, he thinks he is above reproach!

Judgement has already been passed against his financial advisor Shabir SHAIK, which

adds to his own guilt!!

The ANC is running out of time!

South Africa

Mon, 08/01/2011 - 13:27 by Vimbai Taruwedzera

The police officials of South Africa were thinking to re-open the case of corruption of a multi-million arms deal in which President Jacob Zuma also has an involvement. Jacob Zuma’s involvement in the case possesses a serious threat to his leadership career in South Africa.

The case came into notice after the Hawks made a search in the mining ministry over the doubts on a mineral rights deal that earned President Jacob Zuma’s son and other businessmen huge profits.

In a letter to the public accounts watchdog committee Scopa, Hawks head Anwar Dramat appealed to interrogate the British and Swedish authorities in relation to the case. As per Dramat to the reporters, "The two officials will assess the available information which points to a crime (or crimes) in South Africa or whether this information has evidential value in South Africa or whether it could be converted into relevant evidence by means of formal mutual legal assistance programmes”.

During the arms deal, Mr. Zuma was holding the position of the deputy president, the deal amounted to 30 billion rand ($4.5 billion), in which the then financial adviser found at guilty and was imprisoned. Mr. Zuma escaped all charges and was safe from undergoing any trial since 2009, only if he resigned from the post of President he may be at a risk of facing the charges of corruption again.