The DA staged a dramatic walkout of President Jacob Zuma’s question and answer session in the National Assembly on Thursday after the president dodged a question pertaining to his legal costs on corruption charges. In a rowdy session — also the president’s last for the year — Zuma side-stepped multiple questions from the opposition, and was defended by the presiding officers, National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete, and her deputy Lechesa Tsenoli. DA leader Mmusi Maimane asked Zuma to state the total amount he has spent on legal costs since May 1 2009 in respect of "the irrational decision by the National Prosecuting Authority to drop the 783 counts of fraud, corruption and racketeering against him in his personal capacity". Zuma responded by saying the impression given by the question was that "I have been running to the courts ... the litigations referred to [were] not at the instance of the president, but initiated by the political party."
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