Conflicting yet emotional comments are, and will still be made, by various figures, be it those associated with ex-President or against.
But what caught the nations by its wits end- was when one of the sons’ of Zuma, Edward, defiantly said “My position has been known and I still maintain it. Whatever decisions are taken by law enforcement, they will have to kill me before such a decision is implemented,” he was quoted outside the homestead of his father in Nkandla, following handing down of the judgement by deputy chief Justice Sisi Khampepe.
“If that drastic decision happens to be taken, it means they have to pass through me, meaning I will lay down my life for [former] president Zuma. They will not take him to prison while I am still alive,” he continued.
This was contradicting his sibling Duduzile Zuma- Sambuka, Zuma’s daughter, who said her father will comply with the 15-month jail term the Constitutional Court sentenced him to and hand himself over to the Nkandla police station. Talk of simmering tensions in the family already.
Asked whether he was making those reckless comments as a member of the ANC, Edward said he was speaking on behalf of the family, not as the ANC member.
“Its’ not reckless to make such comments because they will have to kill me before taking Pres Zuma to jail” he said unflinchingly.
Edward also encouraged supporters of the former president to the family’s home to come in large numbers.
“We encourage people to come in their numbers to support [former] president Zuma,” Edward said.
Asked whether Covid-19 regulations, which prohibit gatherings, were considered, Edward said they were irrelevant.
“We are in a situation of war here. We cannot be considering Covid-19 restrictions. If it means we die, we die.
One of Zuma’s staunch supporter and MKVA spokesperson, Carl Niehaus, fuming, said they will approach the same ConCourt for the sentencing as he deemed it “irrelevant and wants SA to resist JZ ‘s arrest”.
High ranking officials within the ruling party slammed such comments as they seem to fuel tensions be it in the KZN or country-wide and a sign of defiance.
Concourt sentenced the former president to 15 months behind bars after he was found guilty of contempt of court for failure to comply with an order issued by it to honour a summons to appear before the state capture inquiry.
Zuma snubbed the inquiry and attacked the integrity of some of its officials, including inquiry chair deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo.
“The only appropriate sanction is a direct unsuspended order of imprisonment,” said deputy chief justice Sisi Khampepe.
She said: “Never before has the judicial process been so threatened.
“If with impunity litigants are allowed to decide which orders they may wish to obey and which they wish to ignore, then our constitution is not worth the paper on which it is written.”
Zuma has five days to hand himself over to authorities to start serving his sentence.
ANC’s spokesperson Pule Mabe said the organisation will study the judgement and comment following this weekend’s NEC meeting.
Image (Defiant and reckless, Edward Zuma says they will have to kill him first before taking his father to jail).
