Zuma's bid to dodge a state capture inquiry
President says Madonsela's recommendation would have him exercise power by dictation, but an expert says the Nkandla precedent goes against him
President Jacob Zuma says if he were to implement the public protector’s remedial action by establishing a commission of inquiry into "state capture", it would mean exercising his executive power by dictation. Zuma said this in papers opposing the DA’s application to the High Court in Pretoria to force him to institute the inquiry to be chaired by a judge chosen by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. Zuma has taken former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report on review. The review application will be heard in October. He said that as his executive powers as set in the Constitution were not aimed at fulfilling an investigation "squarely located in law, in the Office of the Public Protector", he saw no reason why he should be compelled to institute the commission. Constitutional law expert Marinus Wiechers said that the Nkandla case against Zuma in the Constitutional Court had already determined that the remedial actions set down by the public protector are binding on ...
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