Zuma files challenge against Judge Zondo

Former South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday filed a legal challenge against the judge who refused to recuse himself from an inquiry into state corruption, his lawyer confirmed.

“The review challenge was filed today,” Eric Mabuza, Zuma’s attorney, said in an emailed reply to Reuters.

The country’s Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo in November rejected an application by Zuma’s lawyers seeking his recusal from the corruption case on allegations of bias.

He rejected the application on grounds Zuma had failed to establish that he was biased.

Zuma was removed as president in 2018, a year before his second term was due to end. A number of witnesses at the commission of inquiry, headed by Zondo, have implicated him in alleged wrongdoing during his nine years as head of state.

Zuma has denied the allegations.

After his application was rejected last month, Zuma and his legal team left the court abruptly even though he was supposed to start his testimony on the day.

Judge Zondo has now ordered him to reappear in front of the inquiry committee in January next year. He is also asking the Constitutional Court, the highest legal authority in the land, to compel Zuma to attend and “account for his exercise of public power”.