By Hannatu Sadiq
South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa is ready to testify against his former counterpart, Jacob Zuma in the ongoing case against state capture slated to resume on August 11.
“On August 11 and 12, the president will first complete his evidence relating to the ANC in his capacity as the current president and former deputy president of the party, and thereafter give evidence and be questioned in his capacity as the current president and former deputy president of the country,” said commission secretary Prof Itumeleng Mosala.
Ramaphosa is expected to testify as the former Deputy President and also as the current leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
According to the statement by the commission, Ramaphosa will testify on matters relating to his tenure as the Deputy President.
“The President will first complete his evidence relating to the ANC in his capacity as the current president and former deputy president, and thereafter give evidence and be questioned in his capacity as the current President and former Deputy President of the country,” said the commission.
Ramaphosa is appearing before the commission for the second time after he first appeared in April this year.
During his first appearance, Ramaphosa had said members of the ANC had engaged in acts of state capture and corruption for a number of years.
On July 8, South Africa was rocked by the worst violence since the nation achieved democracy in 1994.
The unrest started when supporters in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal set up roadblocks on major highways and burned about 20 trucks following the sentence of Zuma to 15 months in prison for contempt of court.
The unrest spread within KwaZulu-Natal, where shopping malls and centers were ransacked by mobs.
The 79-year-old faces 16 charges of fraud, graft and racketeering related to the 1999 purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and equipment from five European arms firms when he was deputy president.
He is also accused of taking bribes from one of the firms, French defense giant Thales, which has been charged with corruption and money laundering. However he denies all charges.
