S Africa’s Zuma to testify at graft scandal inquiry

JOHANNESBURG: South African former president Jacob Zuma is due on Monday to make a much-anticipated appearance before an inquiry into alleged corruption after previous witnesses gave damning evidence against him.

Zuma is accused of overseeing mass looting of state funds during his nine-year reign before he was ousted in 2018 by the ruling ANC party and replaced by Cyril Ramaphosa.

Zuma, 77, has denied all wrongdoing, and his lawyers have described the inquiry as an attempt to "ambush and humiliate" him.

The former president, who is not legally required to appear, agreed to attend for up to five days this week, though it is unclear if he will cooperate with any cross-examination.

His request to see the questions in advance was denied by the inquiry commission, which is probing the corruption scandal known as "state capture".

"In all honesty, the commission asked me to come to testify and put forward any information that I might have," Zuma said on Friday, ahead of the televised hearings.

"We will see how things pan out, but I am going there."

The inquiry commission said last month that Zuma was invited to appear "to enable him to give his side of the story".