South Africa’s former president Jacob Gedley’hlekisa Zuma, accused of orchestrating the systematic plunder of government coffers during his rule, launched a new book yesterday in which he intends “to the set record straight”.
Titled “Jacob Zuma Speaks”, the book comes after the 79-year-old was released from prison in September due to ill health, just two months into a 15-month sentence for continually refusing to appear before a corruption inquiry into his 2009-18 presidency.
Zuma’s spokesman Mzwanele Manyi said the book can be bought for 300 rand ($19) — or 1,000 rand ($62) for a signed copy — at “Car Boot sales” in Johannesburg.
Zuma was found guilty in June after refusing to obey a court order to appear before a commission probing “state capture” — the siphoning off of national assets, which occurred on a massive scale under his nine-year tenure.
His initial imprisonment in July sparked an unprecedented wave of violence in which more than 350 people died in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal and financial hub Johannesburg.
Since being released on medical parole, Zuma has returned to his $17 million estate in rural Nkandla.
