Zuma's son to be grilled on death crash

No Fear No Favour No Accidents please......




MZILIKAZI WA AFRIKA and STEPHAN HOFSTATTER | 09 February, 2014 09:3

President Jacob Zuma's son Duduzane is expected to be questioned by the police this week after he crashed his Porsche into a minibus taxi, killing a woman instantly and leaving two other passengers critically wounded on Saturday last week.

A breathalyser test to determine a driver's alcohol level is mandatory at an accident scene, according to a senior traffic police officer, especially if there has been a fatality.

But in Duduzane Zuma's case this was overlooked last Saturday night after his Porsche 911 Turbo collided with the back of a taxi.

The accident happened in Grayston Drive in Sandton, Johannesburg, at around 10pm.

Phumzile Dube, 30, was killed in the collision. She was buried yesterday at her hometown, Plumtree, in Zimbabwe.

A senior traffic police officer, who did not want to be named, said a breathalyser test was mandatory at an accident scene.

Edna Mamonyane, a senior officer with the Johannesburg metro police, said someone responsible for an accident would have to be breathalysed.

"If it says they are over the limit, then we go to a district surgeon and we have to open a case," she said.

"A district surgeon will only draw blood if we have a case number. They will then draw blood and [the sample] is sent to a laboratory."

This did not happen in Zuma's case.

Johannesburg metro police spokesman Wayne Minnaar said the officer at the accident scene decided not to conduct a breathalyser test because Zuma had showed no signs of being intoxicated.

"It was dark and the accident occurred in heavy rain," he said.

Minnaar said Zuma's car would only have been impounded if its brakes had failed or it was clearly not roadworthy - which was not the case.

The police allowed Zuma to have his car towed away. It was yesterday traced to the Porsche Centre in Paulshof, north of Johannesburg, where it was waiting to be repaired.

The car had a large dent on the left side of the bumper and another in the rear.

Minnaar declined to comment on suggestions that Zuma received preferential treatment at the accident scene.

"The accident is a matter between the state and an individual until such time as the individual appears in court."

Zuma is expected to be questioned by police this week, but no one has yet been charged in connection with Dube's death.

Mamonyane said yesterday that it was standard procedure to charge any driver involved in a fatal accident with culpable homicide.

"A case of culpable homicide will always be opened when somebody dies," said Mamonyane.

Two other passengers in the taxi, one of them a 72-year-old woman, were badly injured and admitted to Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg.

Taxi driver Vusi Dlamini was taken to the hospital after he collapsed on the scene.

Dube's husband, Themba, said he was disappointed that Zuma had not contacted the family or tried to help them financially with funeral arrangements.

His wife was a chef at a restaurant in Fourways .

"Zuma killed my wife and I want justice," said Dube. "It doesn't matter whether he is the president's son - justice doesn't have eyes. Everybody is equal before the law."

Dlamini said Zuma had promised to call him but had not done so.

"He just said sorry, took my number and promised to call me before I was rushed to the hospital.

"He saw that one of my passengers died on the scene and two more were injured.

"I don't like what happened. He bumped me out of the blue and my taxi overturned. One passenger died instantly."

Dube, who has a three-year-old daughter, said he and his wife had come to South Africa for a better life.

"We might be foreigners in this country, but we are also human beings. I just want justice done for my wife's sake. He [Zuma] must pay for his sins."

One of the injured passengers, Janet Mashaba, speaking from Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, said: "I really don't know what happened. I only found myself in hospital. I am in pain. I just thank God I am still alive."

The 72-year-old woman said she was coming from Fourways with her friends and going home when the collision occurred.

Another passenger, Shylet Dlangisa, said yesterday that her right arm was broken in the crash.

"I went for surgery on Friday. I am in serious pain. I am just lucky to be alive."

Duduzane Zuma could not be reached for comment. He failed to answer calls or return text messages and even his twin sister, Duduzile, refused to speak to the Sunday Times.

President Zuma, who was supposed to be on an election campaign drive in Soweto yesterday, pulled out at the last minute. His office said he was having "a planned rest" at his Nkandla home in KwaZulu-Natal.

Duduzane, whose mother, Kate, committed suicide in 2000, is regarded as Zuma's favourite.

He also has a close relationship with the controversial Gupta family, with whom he shares various business interests, including the Gupta TV station ANN7.

In 2010, Duduzane and the Guptas were at the centre of a scandal involving the takeover of Kumba's Sishen mine by Imperial Crown Trading - a company in which Duduzane and the Guptas had stakes.

Times LIVE

COMMENTS BY SONNY

ANOTHER GET OUT OF JAIL FREE CARD HOLDER?

Normal citizens get arrested on the crime scene.

So, throwing names around at crime scenes really works in South Africa.

No wonder certain persons never stand trial for their "alleged" crimes....... 

No wonder the elections is just getting hotted up now!

All the action while Zuma basks next to his Nkandla Fire Break!