Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08PRETORIA1635
2008-07-25 14:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Pretoria
Cable title:
ZUMA ADVISOR SAYS TALKS WITH NPA UNDERWAY TO DROP
how-toVZCZCXRO6306 RR RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN DE RUEHSA #1635 2071450 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 251450Z JUL 08 FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5211 INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1566 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1407 RUEHTN/AMCONSUL CAPE TOWN 5857 RUEHDU/AMCONSUL DURBAN 0030 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 001635
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2018
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SF ZI
SUBJECT: ZUMA ADVISOR SAYS TALKS WITH NPA UNDERWAY TO DROP
CHARGES
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Raymond L. Brown. Reason
s 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L PRETORIA 001635
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2018
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SF ZI
SUBJECT: ZUMA ADVISOR SAYS TALKS WITH NPA UNDERWAY TO DROP
CHARGES
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Raymond L. Brown. Reason
s 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Key advisors to African National Congress (ANC)
President Jacob Zuma have entered into secret talks with the
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) about the corruption
charges pending against Zuma, according to businessman and
former diplomat Moe Shaik. Shaik, who is part of the Zuma
team, told PolOff July 25 that the ANC President hoped to
convince the NPA to "view the facts in a different light" and
exercise their "prosecutorial discretion" to withdraw the
corruption charges. Zuma does not want to become national
president in 2009 with charges hanging over him, Shaik
stressed.
2. (C) Without providing details, Shaik said that the Zuma
camp was "very optimistic" that NPA would eventually withdraw
the charges or find another way to close the matter without a
trial. Asked why the NPA would back off after its lengthy
and costly investigation, Shaik said that (1) the political
pressure from President Mbeki to prosecute Zuma was no longer
there, and (2) the NPA saw it in their own "long-term
interests" to resolve the matter amicably.
3. (C) Shaik said the secret talks had recently begun "very
informally" and would not/not be completed before Zuma's
initial court appearance August 3. However, the story about
the talks would soon leak, and Shaik expected the NPA and
Zuma's team to conclude matters in the next month or two.
4. (C) COMMENT: While this may be a case of wishful thinking
on Shaik's part, it is possible that the NPA believes they
are better off cutting a deal with Zuma instead of pushing
for a politically-messy trial. NPA has suffered through a
series of blunders in preparing their case, and a conviction
is by no means a certainty. The trial is unlikely to be
completed before the April/May 2009 national elections, so
the NPA could find itself prosecuting a sitting South African
President. Furthermore, NPA may be tilting against the mood
of the country, which has shifted considerably in recent
months, with South Africans of all political stripes
increasingly accepting Zuma as the inevitable next president
of the country (septel).
BOST
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/S
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2018
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SF ZI
SUBJECT: ZUMA ADVISOR SAYS TALKS WITH NPA UNDERWAY TO DROP
CHARGES
Classified By: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Raymond L. Brown. Reason
s 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) Key advisors to African National Congress (ANC)
President Jacob Zuma have entered into secret talks with the
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) about the corruption
charges pending against Zuma, according to businessman and
former diplomat Moe Shaik. Shaik, who is part of the Zuma
team, told PolOff July 25 that the ANC President hoped to
convince the NPA to "view the facts in a different light" and
exercise their "prosecutorial discretion" to withdraw the
corruption charges. Zuma does not want to become national
president in 2009 with charges hanging over him, Shaik
stressed.
2. (C) Without providing details, Shaik said that the Zuma
camp was "very optimistic" that NPA would eventually withdraw
the charges or find another way to close the matter without a
trial. Asked why the NPA would back off after its lengthy
and costly investigation, Shaik said that (1) the political
pressure from President Mbeki to prosecute Zuma was no longer
there, and (2) the NPA saw it in their own "long-term
interests" to resolve the matter amicably.
3. (C) Shaik said the secret talks had recently begun "very
informally" and would not/not be completed before Zuma's
initial court appearance August 3. However, the story about
the talks would soon leak, and Shaik expected the NPA and
Zuma's team to conclude matters in the next month or two.
4. (C) COMMENT: While this may be a case of wishful thinking
on Shaik's part, it is possible that the NPA believes they
are better off cutting a deal with Zuma instead of pushing
for a politically-messy trial. NPA has suffered through a
series of blunders in preparing their case, and a conviction
is by no means a certainty. The trial is unlikely to be
completed before the April/May 2009 national elections, so
the NPA could find itself prosecuting a sitting South African
President. Furthermore, NPA may be tilting against the mood
of the country, which has shifted considerably in recent
months, with South Africans of all political stripes
increasingly accepting Zuma as the inevitable next president
of the country (septel).
BOST