Johannesburg – Former president Jacob Zuma and President Cyril Ramaphosa were captured on video laughing together at the ANC National Elective Conference in Nasrec on Friday, a few hours after Zuma’s decision to privately prosecute the president.
On the eve of the conference, Zuma initiated a private prosecution of Ramaphosa.
Zuma wants Ramaphosa to be prosecuted as part of the ongoing private prosecution of NPA advocate Billy Downer, who he accuses of misconduct by leaking his medical information to the media.
He alleges that Ramaphosa, as president of South Africa, is an “accessory after the fact” in the alleged criminal offence.
Zuma claimed that Ramaphosa failed to act when he complained about improper conduct by advocates Downer and Andrew Breitenbach SC.
Ramaphosa pushed back, saying that Zuma was abusing the justice system and that the case was hopeless.
“President Ramaphosa does not interfere in the work of the NPA, nor does he have the power to do so. The president responded to Mr Zuma and took appropriate and legally permissible action,” the Presidency said in a statement.
But the Jacob Zuma Foundation said it had the right legal certificate from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), that allowed Zuma to privately prosecute Ramaphosa.
Mere hours after this drama unfolded, Ramaphosa and Zuma were caught on video laughing and shaking hands.
Watch: Former president Jacob Zuma and President Cyril Ramaphosa captured laughing together a few hours after Zuma's decision to privately prosecute the president. #ANCNC55 #ANCConference pic.twitter.com/TjoOzBA7az
— The Star (@TheStar_news) December 16, 2022
The video got tongues wagging on social media, with users saying politics were just a game to politicians.
The Star