SA needs answers from Zuma - DA

 President Jacob Zuma has a case to answer for regarding alleged "state capture", and the country deserves answers, DA leader Mmusi Maimane's spokesperson said on Monday.

"It's a very serious violation, especially for the first citizen to associate himself with a family like the Guptas, and [allegedly] outsourcing his constitutional functions to a family in Saxonwold," Mabine Seabe told News24.

Maimane would submit an affidavit at the Rosebank police station on Tuesday to urge the SAPS to investigate a prima facie case against Zuma in terms of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act. The act compels people who suspect an offence has been committed to report it.

According to former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's State of Capture report, Zuma may have had knowledge of alleged attempts at "state capture", Seabe said.

"The president has a strong case to answer for, and the people of South Africa need to get answers.

"Should there be a criminal case, the president must be charged like any ordinary South African and face the full might of the law."

Test for NPA

Seabe was aware that the National Prosecuting Authority would have to initiate a prosecution.

It would be a test for National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams, who has yet to reinstate 783 charges of corruption against Zuma, as instructed by the High Court in Pretoria in April, he said.

"Shaun Abrahams has spoken about being an independent thinker and independent prosecutor, and should this case be strong enough, it will be a test for [him]."

Abrahams has yet to give reasons why the NPA has not yet recharged Zuma.

Zuma is appealing the high court’s order in the Supreme Court of Appeal.

On October 11, the SCA handed down an order that lawyers for Zuma, the DA, and NPA should be ready to present oral arguments on the merits of the matter. It gave Zuma three months to file additional paperwork.

A date had not yet been set.

'Zuma lied to Parliament'

In a separate matter, Seabe said the party was considering legal avenues for a perjury charge against Zuma. Maimane claimed earlier this month that Zuma lied in Parliament about a meeting he had had with Madonsela about her state capture report.

Maimane said Zuma told MPs in October that he was not given a chance to respond to Madonsela’s questions during her investigation. It then emerged he had a four-hour meeting with her.

“We still stand firm that the president lied in court papers and in Parliament, so we're considering a case of perjury.”

Presidency spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga said he would comment later