Counting the cost of Zuma’s legal bills
The only fortunes to rise definitively during the Zuma era — other than those of the Guptas — were those of SA’s legal eagles. But the former president has fought hard to avoid revealing his legal bill
Exactly how much the SA public has paid for former president Jacob Zuma’s countless futile legal battles is shrouded in mystery. Up to this point, Zuma himself has refused to tell parliament how much his "Stalingrad" strategy — fighting every point in his battle to avoid prosecution — has cost. Under threat of legal action, President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed this week that taxpayers have spent at least R15.3m in funding Zuma’s campaign to avoid prosecution. This was money spent by Zuma fighting to ensure the "spy tapes" weren’t released to the public. The spy tapes were cited by prosecutors as the reason for dropping criminal charges against Zuma in 2009. The DA challenged the decision to drop charges — and after fighting this issue for years, Zuma conceded at the last minute. At much cost, it turns out. It still remains unclear how much Zuma spent on his numerous efforts to overturn the "State of Capture" report, issued by former public protector Thuli Madonsela in October 2016. Th...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.