Durban - The Democratic Alliance (DA) would oppose former president Jacob Zuma allegedly seeking leave to appeal a cost judgement that ordered him to pay back money spent from the public purse to pursue his court challenges, DA federal council chairperson James Selfe said on Wednesday.
"The DA's lawyers have been informed that former president Jacob Zuma will seek leave to appeal the North Gauteng High Court judgement which ordered him to pay back the money already incurred by his many court challenges. We will be launching an application in terms of Section 18 of the Superior Courts Act, read with Uniform Rule 49 (11), to have the High Court judgment take immediate effect to prevent any more taxpayer money being squandered on Zuma’s frivolous legal appeals," said Selfe in an emailed statement.
The judgement should remain in effect irrespective of any appeals Zuma might launch, said Selfe.
"This application for leave to appeal is clearly designed to delay and undermine the court’s judgement and to once again have the state pay for Zuma’s legal fees. This should and must not be allowed. While Zuma is free to seek leave to appeal any court judgement, he cannot do so using public funds," said Selfe.
He said South Africans were still suffering "from the consequences of Zuma’s disastrous tenure in office" and the former president was not entitled to further financial support from the government or citizens.
"It is also an indictment on the ANC government in general, on president Cyril Ramaphosa in particular, that there is no stronger stance against Zuma’s abuse of public money. It is clear that the ANC is expediently using Zuma for campaigning purposes and therefore hamstrung in taking a principled stand on protecting the South African taxpayer from further looting," said Selfe.