A public law expert says that President Jacob Zuma’s offer to the Constitutional Court to pay back some of the money he owes for his Nkandla homestead as part of a settlement is of little legal consequence – but the political stakes are huge.<\/p>\n
According to senior lecturer of public law from the University of Cape Town, Cathy Powell, while monetary settlements in court battles is nothing new – the particular matter before the Concourt in relation to Nkandla is not even about the money.<\/p>\n
Powell told Talk Radio 702 <\/a>that the Concourt has to make a decision that relates more to the powers of the Public Protector – and not the specifics of a report on Nkandla.<\/p>\n “The court has before it, a legal question: what must Parliament and the minister of police and the president himself do with a recommendation from the public protector? That’s the question it has to decide,” Powell said.<\/p>\n “And the president is, in effect, saying ‘look, don’t decide on that, because I will hand over R10.5 million’. I can’t see the court even entertaining what is, in effect, a request for it not to hear a case.”<\/p>\n “Legally speaking, this is an extraordinarily ill-considered move,” Powell said.<\/p>\n According to Powell, this is the latest attempt by Zuma to misrepresent the Public Protector’s report for his own agenda.<\/p>\n Politically, it seems as if Zuma has made an admission of guilt, putting him on the back foot; however, legally, the move from Zuma carries zero consequence. “The court case will go on,” she said.<\/p>\n Political analyst Ralph Mathekga told Talk 702 that Zuma has become more vulnerable, admitting guilt and exposing the ANC and Parliament.<\/p>\n “(Zuma) is running out of options,” Mathekga said. “There are serious concerns about whether the president respects the laws of the land.”<\/p>\n DA rejects Zuma\u2019s Nkandla offer<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Zuma says he has implemented remedial action on Nkandla<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Motsoeneng court order makes Parliament\u2019s Nkandla reports invalid: DA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore on Nkandla<\/h3>\n