This is the text of a statement given to The Times by former National Director of Public Prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, on his discovery that tapes of conversations he had were in the possession of Jacob Zuma’s legal team.
I have been advised – and believe – that monitoring and interception of telephone conversations between various individuals, including myself, has been conducted by a State agency. I have also been informed that the lawyers of Mr Jacob Zuma have such recordings in their possession. On the face of it, both the interception and monitoring as well as the possession of such material by private individuals is illegal.
It is a matter of grave concern that in a democratic state – which has an entrenched Bill of Rights, which amongst others, safeguards the rights of the citizens to privacy – you could have surveillance by a State agency and the product of that surveillance be made available to the lawyers of an accused person in a criminal trial.
I would expect the law enforcement agencies to investigate this conduct.
If it is suggested – as I believe that it is – that I was involved in any conversations, the objective of which was to manipulate the National Prosecuting Authority or use it as a tool to frustrate Mr Zuma’s ambition to occupy the highest office in the land by prosecuting him, I am confident that if any authentic recordal of my conversations with whomsoever is produced, no evidence would be found that would implicate me in such a conspiracy. For the record, I am not – and have never been – part of any conspiracy against Mr Zuma.
It is a matter of public record that when I in my capacity as NDPP, had the opportunity to prosecute Mr Zuma, I declined to do so.
Should such allegations be repeated in a court of law or other legal forum, I am confident that no wrong doing will be found against me. Indeed, I stand ready to refute and expose them as false, malicious and defamatory.
Wouldn't you normally jump at the chance to clear your name? And if you can't do that (not due to lack of evidence, but not releasing evidence) aren't you essentially implicating yourself? Doesn't Zuma understand this???
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