Zuma to fight R28.9M court order

THE JG Zuma Foundation believes that “true justice” will ultimately prevail after the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria ordered Zuma to pay R28.9 million in legal fees accumulated by him.

The court also ordered that interest must be paid on this amount, which is expected to run into millions. This is to reimburse the State for the bill it had footed over the years to fund his private lawsuits. Zuma was given 60 days in which to pay the money back.

It was also ordered that in the event that Zuma fails to satisfy the judgment debt in the given time, the State Attorney can attach his assets, including his home and a portion of his pension benefit, to foot the bill.

But the Foundation criticised Judge Anthony Millar’s judgment and said in its own findings, the high court held that the State acted unlawfully and unconstitutionally in relation to the payment of Zuma’s legal fees.

Yet, it added, in a troubling contradiction, the court proceeded to hold Zuma personally liable for the consequences of that very unconstitutional conduct. The foundation is of the opinion that the court’s reasoning, that Zuma “benefited” from the State’s “unlawful conduct”, is fundamentally flawed.

“There can be no benefit where a citizen is now punished and made to pay for the State’s unconstitutional actions. The undeniable fact is that President Zuma derived no benefit whatsoever from the payments made by the State, which are now being claimed from him,” the statement read.