South Africa: Zuma asks court to stop anti-graft report

South African President Jacob Zuma has asked a court to stop the Public Protector, an anti-corruption watchdog, from releasing the findings of a probe into alleged political interference by his wealthy friends.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela was due on Friday (October 14) to release her preliminary findings in a probe into the Guptas, an Indian-born family accused of using their close ties with Zuma to influence cabinet appointments.

Madonsela questioned Zuma for four hours last week as part of her final investigation before her seven-year term comes to an end on Saturday.

The graft watchdog spokeswoman on Thursday in a statement said Madonsela would release her last batch of investigation reports on Friday and provide updates on the progress of other investigations.

“Well, this is quite unprecedented in a sense that the President has an opportunity or a recourse, once the report is released to actually have it tested in a court of law – if he has a concern that it doesn’t truly reflect what has happened regarding the state capture or those kind of allegations” said political analyst,Ralph Mathekga.

Some citizens expressed their disappointment with the President’s actions saying that the interdict is the suspect and to an extent violating the right of citizens to information.

“I think there’s something suspicious about it, for the fact that he’s blocking it is… raising eyebrows to us South Africans. We should ask ourselves as to why is he doing that? Uhm, I mean we deserve to know as South Africans, what relationship did they have – as much as the state capture issue it is a big deal, I mean if you have a family which have influence to the President, I mean it is a concern,” citizen Thulani Ndaba.

South Africa's President Zuma asks court to stop release of anti-graft report https://t.co/6lLPDlB7ZQ pic.twitter.com/mtdOHFkyb7

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Despite denials by Zuma and the Guptas, the allegations have damaged the president, who was separately forced to repay part of the cost of a lavish upgrade to his private residence as a result of an investigation by Madonsela