Zuma, in an interview with Newzroom Afrika on Thursday morning, said people had what he called ‘a crazy infatuation’ with his former business associates.
FILE: Duduzane Zuma at the Zondo commission of inquiry into state capture on 8 October 2019. Picture: EWN
JOHANNESBURG – Former President Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane Zuma on Thursday maintained he had no regrets about working with the controversial Gupta family.
Zuma, in an interview with Newzroom Afrika, said people had what he called “a crazy infatuation” with his former business associates.
The Guptas are at the centre of the inquiry being led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo looking into wide-spread looting that took place during his father’s tenure as head of state.
The businessman said while there had been a lot of investigations, no findings were made against him because he is not a criminal.
“I have not stolen money from anybody. There’s not one person that can come and stand in the studio and say, ‘this man has taken from me’. If anything, I’ve helped a lot of people out, I’ve contributed to successes, and I’ll continue to do so,”
While refusing to explain his current business interests in Dubai, Zuma said he was not living off the proceeds of a crime, and again dismissed claims that bags of money were moved out of South Africa to the United Arab Emirates to enable this.
“That’s not the case. There’s been allegations of money being fly out from private planes; it’s not feasible, it’s not possible. Those are urban myths,” he said.
ZONDO COMMISSION IS POLITICISED – DUDUZANE
Meanwhile, Zuma said he believed the state capture commission had been politicised. He told Newzroom Afrika that he took issue with the scope of the commission.
He questioned why the commission segments its inquiry into corruption and only dealt with certain individuals, arguing that corruption did not start in 2012 or 2013 in the country.
Zuma and his father previously appeared before Zondo in relation to different allegations made against them, but the former president wants Zondo to recuse himself.
Zuma senior said there was a conflict of interest, which should bar the Deputy Chief Justice from chairing the inquiry.
His son said he did not know what the issue was between his father and Zondo.
“That’s my father’s business, not my business. It’s a private matter between him and whoever else he is talking about. Don’t ask me, I don’t know,” he said.