The Presidency has confirmed that the state will continue paying for former president Jacob Zuma’s defence even though there’s been a court application to stop that arrangement.
The former president is on trial on 16 charges of fraud and corruption and wants the state to continue paying for his defence.
Opposition parties have disputed this and asked the court to put an end to it.
While President Cyril Ramaphosa has filed a notice to abide with whatever the court decides, it has agreed to continue paying Zuma’s legal bills in the interim.
Every time Zuma appears in court, the taxpayer foots the bill. This will continue to be the case when he appears in court again next month.
Ramaphosa’s office says they are bound by an agreement Zuma made with the state and they will continue funding his criminal defence costs until a court orders them to stop.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko explains: “We will continue paying for his legal fees up until a point where the matter is concluded or a court decides otherwise.”
The DA and the EFF have separately asked the court to put an end to the state’s continued funding of Zuma’s defence.
Zuma has opposed the DA’s case but is yet to file his opposing papers.
Source – EWN
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