The President’s woes

Isaac Mahlangu
Sunday Times LIVE, 18 February, 2012

From losing court cases to embarrassing appointments that were later overturned, here is a summary of some of his [President Zuma’s] recent woes:

October 2011: Judge Willem van der Merwe withdraws from the arms deal commission set up by Zuma, citing personal reasons. Judge Van der Merwe is the judge who acquitted Zuma on rape charges in 2006.

October 2011: A board of inquiry into suspended police boss Bheki Cele is also forced to be reshuffled. Judge Jake Moloi takes over from Judge Yvonne Mokgoro, who recused herself after it emerged she serves on the police service trust fund.

December 2011: The Supreme Court of Appeal rules that Zuma acted "irrationally" in appointing prosecutions chief Menzi Simelane. The SCA pronounces his appointment unconstitutional and invalid.

December 2011: Musical chairs within the NPA continues as Zuma appoints Advocate Nomgcobo Jiba as acting head of the Special Investigating Unit. Two weeks later, Zuma appoints Advocate Nomvula Mokhatla to this position. Jiba is moved to head the NPA.

December 2011: Zuma's former legal adviser Willem Heath resigns two weeks after taking the job as head of the SIU. Questions are raised over his appointment and Heath follows up with controversial statements about former president Thabo Mbeki.

February 2012: The corruption allegation against Zuma refuses to go away three years after the probe into him was dropped. The DA goes to the appeal to argue it has legal grounds to ask for a review of the decision in 2009 by the then acting national director of public prosecutions, Mokotedi Mpshe, to withdraw the charges. Click here to read more.