Zuma’s lawyers defend strong language used when describing Justice Sisi Khampepe

Lawyers for former President Jacob Zuma have defended the strong language they used when describing the chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Commission of Inquiry, Justice Sisi Khampepe.

Zuma and former President Thabo Mbeki have brought an application for Khampepe’s recusal.

President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Khampepe in May to head up the commission that is investigating the reasons behind the failure and delays in prosecuting apartheid era crimes.

Both former heads of state believe Khampepe cannot chair the commission because of her role as a commissioner in the original TRC and the fact that she was the deputy director of public prosecution in the 1990s.

But in Zuma’s papers, he claims Khampepe has a deep-seated hatred and animosity against him, as she delivered the 2021 Constitutional Court judgement that sent him to prison.

The applications by the two former heads of state are being heard by a panel

This is a developing story.