Former South African president Jacob Zuma has been officially summoned to testify at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry following the rejection of his efforts to avoid appearing before it.
Zuma has accused the commission, led by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, of bias against him and that he would only appear before it if the chair recused himself.
Zondo told Zuma on Friday that his appearance before the inquiry in mid-November was important due to the accusations levelled against him by 34 witnesses over the past few months.
The commission chair said he would even allow the retired leader to testify via video link if he so wished.
Zondo said it was in Zuma’s interest to appear before the commission to give evidence that contradicted the allegations levelled against him by the witnesses.
Zuma could also apply to call his own witnesses who could corroborate his version of events, Zondo added.
But failing to appear before the commission was not an option, the deputy chief justice told Zuma, adding that the court would be failing in its duties if it did not take steps to get the former leader to give evidence to the panel.
NM/jn/APA