w  rd 2 the woss

Many allegations have been made against South African president Jacob Zuma, though none have resulted in him being removed from power. Now as a corruption investigation goes on into what the President has done over the years, a report that was due to be published on the 14th was postponed per the request of the president. Now because there have been so many corruption scandals in this year alone concerning Zuma. The report was written by South Africa’s former anti-corruption chief concerning Zuma, so one has to assume that he had it postponed because there was information that he wanted to hide.

 

Zuma during an interview stated that he had the report blocked because it did not fully explain his side of the story. The report is said to contain some evidence linking Zuma to a powerful family in South Africa known as the Gupta’s telling us how the Gupta’s have had sway over Zuma’s administration.

 

The Guptas, are an indian business family, and their businesses include things like mining, energy and technology. The Gupta’s have denied the allegations however the report is said to include the Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas telling investigators how he was offered millions of dollars by the Guptas to take over the Finance Minister's post and promote the family’s business interests. Former ANC (African National Congress: Zuma’s political party) Member of Parliament Vytjie Mentor has also said she was promised a Cabinet post by the Gupta family. This relates back to Zuma because he himself is being paid to allow these things to happen while he is in power.

Ms Madonsela's inquiries over her years in office have led to the sacking of some of the most senior figures in the country after she has questioned them about their dealings with Zuma and the Gupta family, and not only is she having to review the honour of the President but this isn’t the first investigation she has had to head into the President's corruption.

She has investigated police chiefs, opposition politicians - and even the president himself over multi-million dollar security upgrades to his private Nkandla home.

 

Madonsela, the woman who wrote the report in response to the claims of corruption is now leaving the office after seven years of work with the government because of this report.

 

The court case which was called to examine whether Zuma should be allowed to withhold the report from the public is now in progress. President Jacob Zuma argues that he was not given enough time to respond to questions posed by former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, during the investigation of his links to the controversial and powerful Indian business family.

 

The new Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, is not challenging Zuma's application to interdict the report, but the country's four major opposition parties are not about to let Zuma off that easy, they want to be there to challenge Zuma’s application themselves if the Public Protector won’t do so himself. The United Democratic Movement (UDM), headed by Dali Mpofu, explained their motives:

 

"The intervening parties have always maintained that the current president is not fit for office. Any proof that he has abdicated his presidential functions to a private party will show that he is not fit for office," Mpofu said.

 

"We laid the complaint so that we can begin to hold those who are responsible accountable," Mmusi Maimane leader of the main opposition party told reporters when questioned.

 

Many citizens and people in power are starting to realize that they have allowed the corruption that Zuma was spreading to go too far, and now they are starting to bring attention to all the little things he has done over the years which have lead to the country's slow economic demise, and their decreased safety.

 

The verdict is in the hands of the law, and many citizens hold their breath and wait for the results.