WATCH: Zuma ‘thanks’ July Unrest rioters for fighting for him

Former President Jacob Zuma has thanked all those who participated in the July riots and asked them to do it for others as well.

Oct 11, 2022 - 10:06
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WATCH: Zuma ‘thanks’ July Unrest rioters for fighting for him

Former President Jacob Zuma has thanked all those who participated in the riots and looting in July 2021. 

The riots and looting which took place mostly in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng were instigated by people who were against Zuma’s incarceration. 

WATCH: ZUMA THANKS JULY UNREST PARTICIPANTS 

Zuma was at the Pietermaritzburg High Court in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday, 10 October 2022 regarding his private prosecution matter against prosecutor Billy Downer and News24 journalist Karyn Maughan. 

The former ANC President accused Downer of leaking his medical records to Maughan which are classified as “confidential information”. The matter was postponed to February 2023. 

ALSO READ: ‘Relieved to be free again’: Zuma on his expired jail sentence

Speaking outside the court, Zuma thanked his supporters who had gathered to be addressed by him for the first time in a long while as he was still under Correctional Services serving his 15-month sentence for failing to appear before the State Capture Commission.

“I do not know what the charges against them are because I am not clued up when it comes to the law but I just want to thank you because you showed that you are willing to fight as South Africans. Do to others what you did for me. I want to thank you all because I am now a free man and I can do whatever I want. All in all I thank you.” 

Meanwhile ANC KZN Chairperson, Siboniso Duma who also addressed the crowd outside the court reiterated that the leadership in the province will continue supporting JZ no matter what. 

Duma said they do not need permission from anyone to support Zuma and they want that to be very clear.

“Today we want you to know that we will not stop supporting you even if we receive backlash as the KZN PEC. Zuma did not ask for our support, we saw it fit to support him because he is a struggle stalwart and his dignity needs to be intact,” he said.

Duma added that no one in the ANC or their alliance partners is going to bully or control them because the ANC in KZN is not for sale.

ALSO READ: Jacob Zuma officially a free man, but could still go back to jail