Zuma fights ‘crucifixion by media’

JOHANNESBURG – Former South African deputy president Jacob Zuma has appointed a legal team under a former Conservative Party MP to fight his “crucifixion by the media”, the News24 website reported yesterday.

It said Zuma had appointed Jurg Prinsloo, an advocate, and Wycliffe Mothuloe, a Johannesburg attorney, to investigate the possibility of defamation charges against newspapers. Prinsloo is a former Conservative Party MP for Roodepoort and the party’s justice spokesperson.He represented Clive Derby-Lewis and Janusz Waluz in their trial for the murder of South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani.Zuma apparently has had enough of the media.The African National Congress’s deputy president and his supporters have complained that the media formed part of a plot to stop him from becoming South Africa’s next president.In an interview with The Sowetan on Friday, Zuma accused former minister Penuell Maduna and former director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka of calling on the press to help destroy him.This interview will be the first subject of the new legal team’s brief.A letter was sent by Mothuloe at the weekend to the editor of The Sowetan, Thabo Leshilo, in which Zuma denied that he had compared himself to Jesus during the interview.The headline for the interview read: “I’m like Christ – Zuma”.Zuma was quoted as saying the newspapers wanted to crucify him like Christ.”Our client strongly rejects and distances himself from this comparison and stresses his deep-seated and sincere respect for the Christian faith,” read the lawyer’s letter.Leshilo said on Sunday that he had not yet seen the letter and didn’t want to elevate it by reacting to it.”But, we stand by what we wrote.We have it on tape.”Zuma and his media legal team were to have met on Sunday to discuss strategy.Meanwhile, supporters gathered outside the Johannesburg High Court yesterday ahead of the resumption of his rape trial.”Zuma is Jesus,” read one poster, while another supporter carried a white, wooden home-made crucifix asking: “Why are you crucifying Zuma?” The crucifix also bore a decoupaged picture of Zuma with outstretched arms.A larger than usual crowd of Zuma supporters wearing a combination of simple T-shirts bearing his image and heavily-beaded Zulu traditional attire took advantage of the sunny weather to gather yesterday.The women fell to their knees in prayer in front of a line of riot policemen posted between them and the court entrance.Zuma’s legal team is expected to begin argument on Monday in support of his discharge.- Nampa-SapaPrinsloo is a former Conservative Party MP for Roodepoort and the party’s justice spokesperson.He represented Clive Derby-Lewis and Janusz Waluz in their trial for the murder of South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani.Zuma apparently has had enough of the media.The African National Congress’s deputy president and his supporters have complained that the media formed part of a plot to stop him from becoming South Africa’s next president.In an interview with The Sowetan on Friday, Zuma accused former minister Penuell Maduna and former director of public prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka of calling on the press to help destroy him.This interview will be the first subject of the new legal team’s brief.A letter was sent by Mothuloe at the weekend to the editor of The Sowetan, Thabo Leshilo, in which Zuma denied that he had compared himself to Jesus during the interview.The headline for the interview read: “I’m like Christ – Zuma”.Zuma was quoted as saying the newspapers wanted to crucify him like Christ.”Our client strongly rejects and distances himself from this comparison and stresses his deep-seated and sincere respect for the Christian faith,” read the lawyer’s letter.Leshilo said on Sunday that he had not yet seen the letter and didn’t want to elevate it by reacting to it.”But, we stand by what we wrote.We have it on tape.”Zuma and his media legal team were to have met on Sunday to discuss strategy.Meanwhile, supporters gathered outside the Johannesburg High Court yesterday ahead of the resumption of his rape trial.”Zuma is Jesus,” read one poster, while another supporter carried a white, wooden home-made crucifix asking: “Why are you crucifying Zuma?” The crucifix also bore a decoupaged picture of Zuma with outstretched arms.A larger than usual crowd of Zuma supporters wearing a combination of simple T-shirts bearing his image and heavily-beaded Zulu traditional attire took advantage of the sunny weather to gather yesterday.The women fell to their knees in prayer in front of a line of riot policemen posted between them and the court entrance.Zuma’s legal team is expected to begin argument on Monday in support of his discharge.- Nampa-Sapa