Zuma lashes out at high-profile hearing

Former President Jacob Zuma today (Monday) told the chair of the commission of inquiry into state capture, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, that despite being 'vilified' over the past decade, he has not responded because of his values. 'I’ve been given every other name and I have never responded to those issues,' Zuma told Zondo, explaining that he had not responded because he believed respect was key and that people should not make allegations that could not be proven. A report on The Citizen site notes that Zuma said he believed the commission was set up so he could appear before it and to make findings against him. He claimed there had been a drive to have him removed 'and a wish that I would disappear'. A SowetanLIVE report notes that he said there had been a coordinated plan to remove him since the apartheid era when he was heading the intelligence of the ANC. Zuma took a swipe at President Cyril Ramaphosa for saying that his term in office was 'nine wasted years' as Ramaphosa was part of the government decisions that were made in his time. He then claimed that former Public Service and Administration Minister Ngoako Ramatlhodi was a spy. 'He was recruited when he was a student in Lesotho to be a spy….I have known him for many years,' Zuma said. BBC News reports that the allegations against Zuma focus on his relationship with the controversial Gupta family, which was accused of influencing cabinet appointments and winning lucrative state tenders through corruption. He has also been accused of taking bribes from logistics firm Bosasa, run by the Watson family. They all deny allegations of wrongdoing. His testimony continues.