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Former president Jacob Zuma emerged unscathed from a car accident on Thursday evening in KwaZulu-Natal.
Zuma was en route to a campaign rally for the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) in Eshowe when the incident occurred on the R66 shortly before 7pm.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, a 51-year-old man was arrested for drunken driving and on a charge of reckless and negligent driving. The man’s vehicle collided with Zuma’s official armoured state vehicle.
Mathe said in a statement:
“No one was injured, including members of the Presidential Protection Services. The former president was evacuated and taken to his residence.”
The man is expected to appear in the Eshowe Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.
READ: ANC dealt a blow as electoral court finds MKP's registration as a political party must stand
The MKP’s spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, implied to City Press that Zuma's accident was not coincidental, hinting at a connection to public remarks made by ANC KwaZulu-Natal secretary Bheki Mtolo at an ANC Cadres Forum in Nquthu in January. Mtolo had suggested that Zuma would be hospitalised before the end of May.
Seemingly, ANC Kay Zet Anne secretary-general, Cde Bheki Mtolo publicly called it out & prophesied on 24 Feb 2024; that JZ would be in hospital “before May”???? https://t.co/h9ad9pGlSm pic.twitter.com/rg5slVc8Aj
— Vusi Sambo (@VusiSambo) March 29, 2024
Ndhlela further suggested that Police Minister Bheki Cele should be held accountable for the accident, as he oversees the Presidential Protection Unit.
He told City Press:
When questioned about his allegations regarding Mtolo and Cele, Ndhlela said that he was not directly accusing them of being responsible for Zuma's accident. Instead, he stated that he was "connecting the dots."
He stated:
Ndhlela also said that he had no evidence of possible foul play, saying the MKP “is observing the situation and we will deal with it accordingly”.
“We will deal with it based on the facts. I can’t tell you exactly what that means until we have done a proper assessment of what is going on. But we know that they are trying to trigger us to become violent and get our people to run amok,” he said.
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has denied the allegations made by the MKP, with its spokesperson Mafika Mndebele accusing the party of trying to instigate violence ahead of the elections.
“All of these allegations made by the MK Party are a desperate attempt by those who use high school chicken psychology to try and weaken our people and plague our country into crisis,” he told Newzroom Afrika.
Meanwhile, Zuma's accident comes after the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) upheld an objection against his participation in the upcoming 29 May general elections.
Addressing the media in Tshwane on Thursday afternoon, IEC chairperson Mosotho Moepya announced that the MKP had been formally notified of the decision, effectively disqualifying the former president from contesting a parliamentary seat.
Zuma, currently on medical parole and facing numerous corruption allegations, held the top spot on the MKP's candidate list for Parliament. However, the 81-year-old's candidacy was among those challenged, with a total of eight candidates facing objections.
The objection stemmed from Zuma's criminal record, rendering him ineligible for election to the National Assembly. According to the IEC, a candidate could face disqualification if they had been sentenced to more than 12 months in prison without the option of a fine.
Zuma was sentenced to a 15-month prison term in 2021 after being found guilty of contempt of the Constitutional Court for refusing to appear before the State Capture Commission of Inquiry.
The MKP confirmed that Zuma would appeal his disqualification from the elections.
