A member of the legal team representing former president Jacob Zuma in his ongoing bid to privately prosecute President Cyril Ramaphosa died in a car accident on Sunday.
Advocate Dali Mpofu SC, Zuma’s attorney, revealed this during Tuesday’s court proceedings at the Johannesburg High Court during the resumption of the case wherein Zuma wants to privately prosecute Ramaphosa.
The court proceedings began with Mpofu informing Judge Dario Dosio that advocate Matodzi Mavhungu died in a car accident on Sunday.
Fatal car crash
Mpofu told Dosio that a moment of silence should be observed for the young advocate.
“I would like to announce that one of the members of my team in this matter, advocate Matodzi Mavhungu, passed away in a car accident on Sunday,” Mpofu said.
“[He was] a young advocate for a few years. With the lordship’s permission, we want to observe a moment of silence.”
Dosio granted the request and asked everyone in the courtroom to stand to observe the moment of silence.
“I have no problem doing that. I think it is prudent to do that. If we may all stand for a moment of silence,” said Dasio.
Afterwards, Mpofu addressed the court on Zuma’s ongoing bid to privately prosecute Ramaphosa.
Leaking of medical information
In 2023, the Johannesburg High Court dismissed Zuma’s application. The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) also dismissed Zuma’s appeal challenging the high court judgment.
Zuma has taken the SCA’s ruling on appeal to the Johannesburg High Court.
He alleges that Ramaphosa was an accessory to the alleged “leaking” of what Zuma has described as confidential medical information.
Zuma alleged in 2021 that advocate Billy Downer, SC, the state prosecutor in the arms deal criminal trial in which Zuma is a co-accused, disclosed a doctor’s note to journalist Karyn Maughan in an alleged breach of the National Prosecuting Authority Act.
In court, Mpofu said Zuma intends to institute a further appeal of the SCA ruling at the Constitutional Court.
He asked for the matter to be postponed to February 2025 in order to allow Zuma to institute his appeal application at the Constitutional Court and allow that process to run its course.
Matter postponed to February 6
Phumzile Sokhela, who was on a watching brief for Ramaphosa in the matter, did not oppose Mpofu’s request.
Dosio postponed the matter to February 6 to allow for Zuma to bring an appeal application against the SCA ruling in the apex court.
The courtroom was packed with uMkhonto weSizwe Party members, including Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile Zuma, and former finance minister and now MK Party member Des van Rooyen.
Outside the court building, party members showed their support for the former statesman by singing, dancing, and chanting struggle songs.
Ramaphosa must face the music.. Women abuser and i lost my job because of this bloody horny idiot. I was told by one of his allies that i must sleep with this evil man to prove loyalty. And wheres That Journalist ____ who protected his stomach but exposing one ANC guru instead of exposing this one aswell. Ramaphosa is not the man you all think he is and i wonder why the media are his friends as he has claimed to me before making me loose my job. Yesterday he talks about women empowerment blah blah blah but do you all know what it costs for women to maneuver to better possitions? Ask me because a certain African Billionare close to him once told me straight what i had to expose myself to but i refused to be…..
Really? And u decided to make these absurd accusations whilst hiding behind anonymousity
MK Party did well during the elections no doubt, but now they seem to be focusing irrelevant matters like Jacob Zuma’ personal hatred towards Ramaphosa. Really?
The old man was born wise but his stupidity and jealousy blindfolded him to an extent that he couldn’t and never see anything right Pres.Ramaphosa do . Global law can never charge an innocent person whatsoever. Baseless charges and villification gathers only desire of the miserable liar