AfriForum’s legal team was informed officially that the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shaun Abrahams, had decided to reconsider the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) initial decision not to prosecute Duduzane Zuma, son of former President Jacob Zuma, on criminal charges of culpable homicide.
The case relates to a vehicle accident on 1 February 2014 on the M1 motorway in Gauteng that was caused by Zuma Jr. A young female passenger in another vehicle, Mekelina Dube, died on impact.
Abrahams’s decision to review the case follows Gerrie Nel, Head of AfriForum’s Private Prosecuting Unit, sending a letter on behalf of the Dube family to the NPA at the end of last year to obtain a nolle prosequi certificate, which would have made it possible for AfriForum to privately prosecute Zuma Jr.
According to Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, Abrahams’s decision is not only a victory for the Dube family, Gerrie Nel and AfriForum, but for everyone in the country who has had it with former President Zuma, his family and friends evading prosecution as a result of protection offered by the NPA. “AfriForum cornered Abrahams, because if he again decides not to prosecute Zuma Jr., he knows that Gerrie Nel is ready to continue with private prosecution. However, if he decides to do his job and prosecute Zuma Jr., it will be a victory for Dube’s family, AfriForum and equality before the law,” Kriel adds.
Kriel points out that Abrahams will soon have to face pressure from Nel again when he has to decide whether or not the NPA will prosecute former President Zuma on charges of corruption. “Abrahams knows that, if he decides not to prosecute Jacob Zuma, Nel is ready to privately prosecute the former President. Hopefully, this will force him to do the right thing by deciding that the NPA must prosecute Zuma,” Kriel says. The public can help AfriForum to further pressurise the NPA into prosecuting Jacob Zuma by signing the Prosecute Zuma petition at www.vervolgzuma.co.za or by SMSing their names to 45352 (R1).
According to Kriel, the pressure that the media, AfriForum and a number of other civil organisations have exerted to combat selective prosecution and state capture, is beginning to help turn the tide against corrupt people. The decision of the authorities to initiate action against the Guptas after many years of intentional delay is a result of this continued pressure, Kriel believes. Kriel says that Nel and AfriForum’s Prosecuting Unit will monitor the NPA’s actions against the Guptas, while remaining more than willing to intervene if needed.
Regarding AfriForum’s planned actions against Grace Mugabe, Kriel points out that AfriForum’s court application to have Mugabe’s diplomatic immunity in South Africa set aside will be heard in the Northern Gauteng High Court on 8 and 9 May.
“There is also a positive turn in Gerrie Nel’s planned private prosecution of Adv. Jiba, as the NPA’s refusal to prosecute Jiba has been put aside by the courts. Also in this instance, Abrahams knows – if he again decides not to prosecute Jiba – that Gerrie Nel is ready to privately prosecute the case on Genl. Johan Booysen’s behalf,” Kriel said.
According to Kriel, Nel will make further announcements in the coming months about cases that AfriForum’s Private Prosecuting Unit will take on.