- Duduzane Zuma, son of former president Jacob Zuma, has urged his father to "do what he needs to do" if he feels he is being treated unconstitutionally by the Zondo Commission.
- Duduzane stated during a live interview with SABC3’s TrendingSA that he personally experienced his "constitutional rights being trampled on" during his two court cases.
- Despite saying the ANC needed young blood, Duduzane would not be drawn on whether he intended to start a political party.
Former president Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane Zuma, has urged his father to, "do what he needs to do", if he feels he is being treated unconstitutionally by the Zondo Commission.
Duduzane’s comments were made during an interview on SABC3’s TrendingSA on Monday, in response to the former President lashing out at the commission for requesting details of his children’s bank accounts as part of its investigation into state capture.
In a statement released on Friday, Zuma said he was concerned about a report alleging the Zondo commission had issued subpoenas relating to at least 20 accounts linked to the Zuma family.
Zuma stated he, "drew the line", at anyone targeting his children in investigations against him and that harassing them was a "declaration of war" in which he would fight back with all his might.
Speaking from Dubai, Duduzane said he personally had experience of his "constitutional rights being trampled on" by law enforcement agencies and the legal system, during the two court cases he faced.
Last year, Duduzane faced charges of corruption, which were later provisionally withdrawn, after former Deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas claimed that the former president's son had driven him to the Guptas' Saxonwold home. Jonas was then allegedly offered a R600 million bribe and the position of finance minister, just before then-minister Nhlanhla Nene was removed.
In July 2019, Duduzane was found not guilty of the charge of culpable homicide in the Randburg Magistrate's Court. He was on trial after Phumzile Dube died in February 2014, when Duduzane’s car crashed into a taxi in which she had been travelling.
"I have faced the music, I have been in front of more than one judge, I have been in front of a commission, I don't know what more to say,” Duduzane said during the live interview.
Ahead of the broadcast interview, Duduzane submitted a video of him answering a series of questions, including which political party he would vote for if he was prohibited from voting for the ANC.
"The ANC is not a political party, the ANC is an institution, the ANC is our history. The ANC is the only glue holding society together today," he said.
However, he added the party could use some "fresh ideas" and "young blood".
"There aren’t any other options, but if there had to be some upstart, younger-led political party out there, they might just get my attention," he added.
Duduzane added that he would love to have dinner with EFF leader Julius Malema to understand, "what his mind frame was and the courage that he showed when he started his political party after he was kicked out of the ANC".
During the live interview, Duduzane was asked if he planned to start a political party on his return to South Africa, but he refused to be drawn, saying only that he, "would be wherever [he was] needed".