JOHANNESBURG – The DA wants Jacob Zuma to pay his own legal fees.

It said this after the National Prosecuting Agency (NPA) announcement that it will reinstate 16 charges against the former president.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said in Johannesburg on Saturday that Zuma would face the charges as a private citizen. 

EXPLAINER: Zuma to be prosecuted. What now?

“Many of you will know that through the secret agreement between the Presidency and Mr Zuma there was an agreement to pay Mr Zuma’s fees. I asked how much these legal fees are. He [President Cyril Ramaphosa] simply refused to answer. We then threatened legal action against the presidency … [and] were given a figure of R15,000. There can be no secret deal with a private citizen to use state resources. Otherwise all of us must be entitled to legal protection from the state,” Maimane said.

“We must stop the payment of the legal fees of Mr Zuma. We must recoup the money paid. The president must make transparency the agreement they reached between themselves and Mr Zuma. We believe that agreement will be unlawful and irrational.” 

He said should Ramaphosa not give them sufficient reasons they will take the matter on review.

eNCA