Duduzane Zuma must account in court

AfriForum welcomes the fact that Duduzane Zuma, son of former President Jacob Zuma, had to testify today in the case of culpable homicide and reckless and negligent driving against him. Zuma Jr was called as the defence’s first witness in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court. The case was postponed until tomorrow morning 08:30 after the stenograph broke and proceedings could not be recorded.

“The fact that Zuma Jr had to account today in the witness box for the death of Mekelina Dube is not only a big victory for AfriForum and the Dube family, but for everyone in the country that support equality before the law,” says Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum.

Kriel praised the Dube family and Adv. Gerrie Nel and his team at AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit for their perseverance in helping to ensure that Zuma Jr was brought before court for the death of Dube.

“The fact that the case against Zuma Jr continues, confirms that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) made a mistake when they decided not to prosecute him. The Dube family’s insistence that justice must prevail, as well as Adv. Nel’s ability to institute private prosecution, left the NPA with no other choice but to change their decision and prosecute Zuma.”

The NPA initially decided not to prosecute Zuma Jr in connection with a car accident on 1 February 2014 on the M1 highway in Gauteng – in which Dube, a young female passenger, died on impact. After AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit applied to privately prosecute Zuma Jr, the NPA however decided to overturn its initial decision and institute prosecution.