An unrepentant Jacob Zuma on Sunday slammed the Zondo Commission for trying to “force” him into appearing before it.
The disgraced former president, who was supposed to hand himself over to police yesterday to start serving a 15-month jail sentence, addressed a crowd of his supporters in Nkandla, as police beefed up their presence in KwaZulu-Natal amid tensions over his conviction.
Zuma boldly told his supporters that the “police won’t get him” while they were there.
The 79-year-old was found guilty of contempt of court but on Friday launched two court applications to try and stay out of the mang, citing his age and Covid-19.
In the judgement last Tuesday, the Constitutional Court said Zuma was well aware of the consequences of his actions when he decided to refuse their order to appear before the Zondo Commission of inquiry into state capture.
The minister of correctional services has since been instructed to prepare a jail cell for him at Westville Prison in Durban.
But Zuma’s sons and supporters said they would not allow police to arrest and jail Zuma and were prepared to “lay down their lives” for him.
Thousands of his supporters, including members of the Umkhonto we Sizwe’s Military Veterans Association, Zulu regiments and ANC members had been camped outside his home since Tuesday, violating lockdown Level 4 regulations which prohibits gatherings.
Despite his claims that time in prison would be detrimental to his “precarious health” amid the pandemic, Zuma, who looked to be in good health, belted out his now infamous tune Umshini Wami.
Speaking in isiZulu, he once again slammed the formation and operation of the Zondo commission, saying it was violating his hard-fought rights.
He said when the commission was formed, laws were violated as it was only chaired by one person, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo.
Without mentioning his name, he said it seemed as if Justice Zondo targeted him, and as a result he asked for his recusal.
“I never denied appearing before the commission but not before Zondo. We are in this problem because of that decision," he said before he broke into Umshini Wami.
On Friday Zuma made an application to the Constitutional Court to rescind and reconsider its decision and the Concourt agreed to hear the application on July 12.
He simultaneously launched an application asking the Pietermaritzburg High Court to interdict cops from arresting him until the Concourt has heard his fresh application.
This appeal will be heard in the Pietermaritzburg High Court tomorrow.
Zuma said if both applications failed, he would go to jail.