Jacob Zuma

==== Testimony ====
[[File:Jacob_Zuma_at_the_Zondo_Commission.png|left|thumb|280x280px|Zuma's third day of testimony to the [[Zondo Commission]], 17 July 2019]]
At the instruction of the [[Public Protector]] and high court, in January 2018 Zuma established the [[Zondo Commission]] to investigate fraud, corruption, and state capture in the public sector in South Africa. Zuma was scheduled to testify before the commission for five days in mid-July 2019, and on Monday 15 July he opened his testimony by claiming that the commission was part of a decades-long "character assassination"<ref name="Burke-2019">{{Cite web|last=Burke|first=Jason|date=2019-07-15|title=Zuma tells South Africa corruption inquiry he is victim of foreign plot|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/15/jacob-zuma-south-africa-corruption-inquiry|access-date=2022-01-13|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> conspiracy against him.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Maughan|first=Karyn|date=2019-07-15|title=Zondo inquiry is part of intelligence plot to 'get rid' of me, Jacob Zuma says|url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2019-07-15-zondo-inquiry-is-part-of-intelligence-plot-to-get-rid-of-me-jacob-zuma-says/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Business Day|language=en-ZA}}</ref><ref name="Mailovich-2019">{{Cite web|last=Mailovich|first=Claudi|date=2019-07-19|title=Jacob Zuma pulls out of state capture inquiry|url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2019-07-19-jacob-zuma-pulls-out-of-state-capture-inquiry/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Business Day|language=en-ZA}}</ref> He denied the veracity of several other witnesses' testimony and questioned the appropriateness of the phrase "state capture", which he said was used to discredit him. If the whole state had truly been captured, he argued that the commission should investigate the judiciary and Parliament as well as the [[Executive (government)|executive branch]] of government.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bezuidenhout|first=Jessica|date=2019-07-15|title=The Essence of Zuma, Day One: 'State Capture Commission is designed to bury me'|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-07-16-the-essence-of-zuma-day-one-state-capture-commission-is-designed-to-bury-me/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Daily Maverick|language=en}}</ref> After the hearings, Zuma addressed supporters who gathered outside the commission's offices in Johannesburg.<ref name="Burke-2019"/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Tolsi|first=Niren|date=2019-07-24|title=Zuma's Zondo testimony was like a five-day Test|url=https://www.newframe.com/zumas-zondo-testimony-was-like-a-five-day-test/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=New Frame}}</ref>

Before the end of the third day of testimony on Wednesday 17 July, chairperson [[Ray Zondo]] adjourned proceedings so that the commission could meet with Zuma and his lawyers in order to discuss Zuma's grievances about his treatment by the commission.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-07-19|title=Zuma retracts decision to withdraw from the Zondo commission|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/SouthAfrica/News/live-will-jacob-zuma-drop-more-bombs-at-state-capture-inquiry-20190719|access-date=2022-01-13|website=News24|language=en-US}}</ref> On the morning of Friday 19 July, his lawyer announced that Zuma would "take no further part" in the commission's proceedings and would consider court action. Zuma felt that he had been treated like an accused criminal rather than as a witness and that he had been relentlessly [[Cross-examination|cross-examined]] – though the head of the commission's legal team pointed out that his cross-examination had not yet begun.<ref name="Mailovich-2019"/> Later that day Zondo announced that they had come to an agreement: the commission had acquiesced to Zuma's demand to furnish him with specific allegations in advance, and Zuma would provide written statements in response.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bezuidenhout|first=Jessica|date=2019-07-19|title=Days of Zondo: Zuma's Zondo showing to continue after compromise deal|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-07-19-zumas-zondo-showing-to-continue-after-compromise-deal/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Daily Maverick|language=en}}</ref>

In subsequent months, Zuma appeared reluctant to cooperate with the commission, and he did not provide further testimony before it. Zondo issued a [[summons]] for Zuma's appearance in the week of 16 November 2020,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Haffajee |first=Ferial |date=2020-10-09 |title=Jacob Zuma out of runway as Judge Zondo gives thumbs-up to state capture inquiry summons |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-10-09-jacob-zuma-out-of-runway-as-judge-zondo-gives-thumbs-up-for-state-capture-inquiry-summons/ |access-date=2022-01-13 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref> but Zuma applied to have Zondo recuse himself from proceedings. Zuma claimed that he and Zondo were friends, which Zondo denied,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Haffajee |first=Ferial |date=2020-11-18 |title=Recusal judgment delayed as Jacob Zuma tables new details of 'friendship' with judge Zondo |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-11-18-recusal-judgment-delayed-as-jacob-zuma-tables-new-details-of-friendship-with-judge-zondo/ |access-date=2022-01-13 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref> and that there was a conflict of interest arising from their "historical family relations".<ref name="Haffajee-2020">{{Cite web |last=Haffajee |first=Ferial |date=2020-10-29 |title=Judge Zondo raises the stakes on Jacob Zuma's plan to use family ties in recusal application |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-10-29-judge-zondo-raises-the-stakes-on-jacob-zumas-plan-to-use-family-ties-in-recusal-application/ |access-date=2022-01-13 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref> On the latter point, Zondo conceded that he had had a child with the sister of Zuma's third wife, Thobeka Madiba-Zuma, but pointed out that their relationship had ended in the 1990s, before Zuma and Madiba-Zuma met.<ref name="Haffajee-2020" /> On Thursday 19 November, Zondo dismissed Zuma's application for his recusal. When the commission heard Zuma's testimony, Zondo announced that Zuma had left during a break without being excused.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tolsi |first=Niren |date=2020-11-30 |title=Zuma maintains his true colours at Zondo commission |url=https://mg.co.za/news/2020-11-30-zuma-maintains-his-true-colours-at-zondo-commission/ |access-date=2022-01-13 |website=[[Mail & Guardian]] |language=en-ZA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Haffajee |first=Ferial |date=2020-11-19 |title=Zuma does a runner after Zondo sets out a three-part judicial smackdown to recusal bid |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-11-19-dismissed-judge-zondo-delivers-a-three-part-judicial-smackdown-to-jacob-zumas-recusal-bid/ |access-date=2022-01-13 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}</ref> He did not return on 20 November.