FORMER President Jacob Zuma is having a sleepless nights.
On Sunday, a tabloid newspaper confirmed FNB was initiating to close his personal account.
The bank said it was complying with a specific order by the High Court (KZN Division) by closing former president Jacob Zuma’s bank account, and that it could not comment further on any client’s specific bank accounts.
According to the Sunday World, Zuma’s bank account at FNB was allegedly the account in which a R7.8-million VBS loan was deposited, alluding the bank said it was ‘closing the account because Zuma is a politically exposed person’.
The bank in a terse response said, that it “treats all customers objectively and consistently”.
(Nxamalala) Zuma’s clan name, was ordered by the lawyers of VBS curator Anoosh Rooplal to pay at least R250 000, relating to repayments on this loan, if he did not want his Nkandla compound attached.
Recently, the State Attorney and Presidency launched legal action to compel him to repay nearly R29 million in legal fees for his corruption trial defence.
This comes two years after the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) ordered the State Attorney to “take all necessary steps, including the institution of civil proceedings, to recover the amounts paid by the state for Zuma’s legal costs”.
The court further emphasised that allowing officials to resist accountability by using state resources to obstruct or delay prosecution is a subversion of the public interest.
uMsholozi has always maintained he was innocent and entitled to full state funding of his litigation costs because, he said, he was accused of crimes directly linked to his role in government.
The founder of uMkhonto weSizwe, Zuma who has been leading the organisation for four-months now, is a number one of the list of candidates for the party.
As expected political parties have questioned the timing of the bank account closer, with national elections nearing.
“Its unclear if this was an administrative decision or a political decision,” asked African People’s Convention (APC) leader and former chairperson of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) Themba Godi.
The timing was suspicious given the fact that the country was a few months away from the elections, says Godi.
“The starting point is the suspicion around the timing. The bank exposes itself to be playing a political game. The powers that the banks have in our country is enormous and it renders our democratic practice meaningless. If they can do this to a former president who else is at their mercy.
“With Markus Jooste we haven’t heard his accounts being touched, but he has brought this country into disrepute,” said Godi.
Former Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) leader Letlapa Mphahlele said this raises eyebrows.
“FNB has reportedly issued a notice to terminate former president Jacob Zuma’s bank accounts in which his R7.8m VBS loan was deposited. The timing raises eyebrows. Only the most gullible among us think that the banks are impartial referees in the game of politics,” said Mphahlele.
Hours after criss-crossing the country for votes and the youth league controversial figure Bonginkosi Khanyile remarking “if Zuma’s name is not on the ballot voting list, there will no elections” ANC’s secretary general Fikile “Mbaks” Mbalula labelled Zuma as a “fraudster and a liar”.
I have, and still maintain uBaba has been ill advised since he’s President’s days, finish & klaar!
Image (Scratching his head. Former Pres Jacob Zuma is having sleepless nights, whether he agrees or not).
