Duduzane Zuma not guilty of culpable homicide

Duduzane Zuma, son of former President Jacob Zuma, has been found not guilty of the charge of culpable homicide. A News24 report notes Zuma was on trial in the Randburg Magistrate's Court after Phumzile Dube died in February 2014 when Zuma's car crashed into a taxi in which she was travelling. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. Delivering his judgment on Friday, Magistrate Tebogo Thupaatlase said the court was mandated to find out whether Zuma was driving negligently or not. Thupaatlase said on a charge of culpable homicide, the state should prove whether the driver of a vehicle was supposed to have seen a possible death. He said negligence must be evaluated in the circumstances of each case. He said the evidence before the court had established that the weather conditions were bad and that had been confirmed by a climatologist who took the witness stand. Thupaatlase said there was no evidence on record that showed what speed Zuma should have driven on the day that would have avoided the crash. He said three witnesses had testified that aquaplaning could have happened even at low speed. He said the state failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

Full Fin24 report