The state capture commission of inquiry was postponed to Friday to allow the commission's legal team and that of former president Jacob Zuma to iron out his concerns on the manner in which he was questioned by evidence leader Advocate Paul Pretorius.
This followed an impromptu adjournment requested by Zuma's senior counsel Muzi Sikhakhane, who threatened to have the former president pull out of the commission because he was brought before the commission on "false pretences and was instead being cross-examined."
Commission chairman, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, said the two parties agreed to set aside Thursday and come up with a solution without compromising the work of the commission.
"This commission would like to make sure that it takes everybody on board as far as possible. What has been agreed on is that there should be an opportunity for both legal teams to look at the former president's concerns and see whether a way could be found in which they could be accommodated without the commission's legal team compromising any part of their obligations. It has been decided that we should adjourn and not seat tomorrow [Friday]," Zondo said.
Sikhakhane had earlier threatened to advise his client to reconsider the decision to appear before the commission when Zuma complained that he was repeatedly asked questions about details that he did not know.
Pretorius' questions were based on the damning testimony of ex-public enterprises minister Barbara Hogan who alleged that Zuma had interfered and pushed to have Siyabonga Gama appointed Transnet CEO instead of Sipho Maseko in 2009.
Hogan told the commission last year that Maseko, now CEO at Telkom, was recommended by the board as the most experienced and highly qualified candidate to replace Maria Ramos.
The former president complained that he was being cross-examined "thoroughly", despite Zondo's explanation that the questions to the former president were necessary to understand what happened and to help the commission in its probe.
- African News Agency (ANA)
