The man accused of ramming into former president Jacob Zuma’s convoy at the weekend, has been granted bail.
The man appeared in the Eshowe Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, where he was granted R500 bail. He was arrested on charges of driving under the influence and reckless and negligent driving.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, said the accused was expected back in court on May 3, and investigations continue.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, confirmed the arrest of a 51-year-old suspect following the crash on the R66 on Thursday evening.
At the time, she said the man was arrested after colliding with Zuma’s official armoured state vehicle.
“At the time of the collision, former President Zuma was in the vehicle with his protectors. No one was injured, including members of the Presidential Protection Services. The former president was evacuated and taken to his residence,” Mathe said at the time.
Meanwhile, uMkhonto Wesizwe founder, Jabulani Khumalo, has slammed the bail decision.
Addressing the media following the accused’s bail application, Khumalo said for police and Police Minister, Bheki Cele, to not take action in the matter, means they do not care about Zuma.
The MK Party slammed police for how they handled the crash.
The party's Musa Mkhize said the incident was a deliberate attempt on Zuma's life.
The party called for Cele to take action.
The police ministry called the MK Party’s questions on Zuma’s security ‘reckless and out of order’.
Ministry spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba said following a thorough briefing to the ministry by the management of the South African Police Service (SAPS), Cele was satisfied that the current security deployed for the protection of Zuma was sufficient and on a par with other former heads of states.
“The ministry finds the call made by the UMkhonto We Sizwe party spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndlela; for the minister of police to be ‘questioned on Jacob Zuma’s security details’ reckless and out of order,” she said.
“The ministry and the SAPS will not be divulging any security details of any current or former head of state of the republic of South Africa.”
IOL