DURBAN: A senior half-brother of jailed former president Jacob Zuma has for the first time publicly described the pain they endured as a family when the ex head of state eventually surrendered just before midnight on July 7 to start serving his jail term.
Joseph Zuma, a brother who shares a father with Zuma said on the night he surrendered they were sitting in the family’s garden in Nkandla.
Family members were adamant that he should not surrender.
After hours of being locked in meetings with some officials, Zuma left the meeting to tell family members that he would come back the following day and left to start his jail sentence.
“He even told me that he would come back the following day, yet he was going for a long time," he said.
The half brother, throughout his speech, where he was giving a vote of thanks on behalf of the Zuma family, following a get-well prayer service organised by his supporters, repeatedly said, “I am hurt by what happened to my brother“.
Despite his decision to surrender, Joseph said it was a brave one as there was a possibility of bloodshed on that night.
He was referring to the fact that some Zuma supporters cordoned off the gate as a heavily armed squad of police was approaching the home.
“My brother is brave, there would have been bloodshed that day if he did not surrender.
“People were armed and ready for anything,” he said.
For all of Zuma’s woes right now, the brother blamed Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, who is chairing the state capture commission, for refusing to recuse himself when asked to do so.
“He is right now in jail because of one person, he wanted him to recuse himself but he refused, he is there (in jail) because of that person, we would be with him here at home talking about other business,” he said.
POLITICAL BUREAU