Ramaphosa rejects Zuma’s bid to add him to the list of accused
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On the eve of the ANC’s elective conference, former president Jacob Zuma initiated a private prosecution of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
He has been summoned to appear in court on January 19 to face a charge of being an “accessory after the fact” in the same private prosecution Zuma is pursuing against prosecutor Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan for disclosing a document concerning Zuma’s medical state.
The charge will likely lead to calls by Ramaphosa’s political opponents that he must “step aside” in line with the ANC’s step-aside rule and not stand for president of the ruling party. In terms of the rule, when an ANC member is charged with a serious criminal offence, they should step aside from their position.
In a statement issued in the early hours on Friday the presidency said Ramaphosa rejected the prosecution “with the utmost contempt”.
He has been summoned to appear in court on January 19 to face a charge of being an “accessory after the fact” in the same private prosecution Zuma is pursuing against prosecutor Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan for disclosing a document concerning Zuma’s medical state.
The charge will likely lead to calls by Ramaphosa’s political opponents that he must “step aside” in line with the ANC’s step-aside rule and not stand for president of the ruling party. In terms of the rule, when an ANC member is charged with a serious criminal offence, they should step aside from their position.
In a statement issued in the early hours on Friday the presidency said Ramaphosa rejected the prosecution “with the utmost contempt”.