It's time for Zuma to come clean

15 July 2019 - 08:14
By THE EDITORIAL
Former president Jacob Zuma.
Image: REUTERS/Rogan Ward Former president Jacob Zuma.

After some early resistance to appear at the commission of inquiry into state capture, former president Jacob Zuma will finally make an appearance, starting today.

Zuma's appearance is much anticipated after previous witnesses gave damning testimonies against him and some of his appointees during his tenure as president.

According to one of witnesses at the commission, Angelo Agrizzi, Zuma allegedly accepted a monthly bribe delivered in luxury bags from Bosasa that was trying to evade police investigation. This is just one of a litany of corruption claims made by witnesses against Zuma.

Zuma is a key witness and we expect him to be an honest witness and tell nothing but the truth about allegations of graft during his nine-year term as president of the country. He must also come clean about his relationship with the controversial Gupta family.

Zuma has maintained his innocence and now he should prove that he's clean of any wrongdoing. We also hope he won't be a difficult witness and should assist the commission in every way possible. He had previously asked the commission to send him questions before his appearance, a request that was duly denied.

Addressing students at the Walter Sisulu University of Technology in September in Mthatha, Zuma again denied that the South African state was ever captured, saying the term was a "politically decorated expression". Now, Zuma, can you prove that?