Former President Jacob Zuma allies seek donations for legal bills

Allies of former President Jacob Zuma, who was jailed for contempt of court last month, on Tuesday pleaded with the public to donate money to help cover his legal fees. The 79-year-old ex-president has been fighting a protracted corruption case linked to an arms deal signed more than two decades ago, when he was deputy leader.

In December 2018 — months after he was ousted from the presidency by the ANC — he was ordered by a court to reimburse the state the equivalent of more than a million dollars that had been spent on his legal bills.

“Dear People of South Africa and the world. Please lend a helping hand,” the Jacob Zuma Foundation said in a tweet.

Dear People of South Africa and the world.
Please lend a helping hand. pic.twitter.com/3pbLL6iccL

— JGZuma Foundation (Official) (@JGZ_Foundation) August 24, 2021

“We humbly request for donations support to help cover the legal fees of our patron,” it said.
The tweet carried a picture of Zuma speaking into a microphone, fist punching in the air, and details of the bank account, in the name of “J.G. Zuma,” where contributions could be made.

The trial started in May after numerous postponements and delays as Zuma’s legal team battled to have the charges dropped.

His next court appearance, initially set for early August, was pushed back to September after Zuma was hospitalised days prior for an undisclosed illness.