Johannesburg - National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Shaun Abrahams has reportedly decided to reconsider the NPA’s initial decision not to prosecute Duduzane Zuma on culpable homicide charges, Afriforum said on Sunday.
Abrahams’s decision to review the case comes after head of AfriForum’s Private Prosecuting Unit Gerrie Nel sent a letter, on behalf of the Dube family, to the NPA at the end of last year to obtain a nolle prosequi certificate, which would have made it possible for AfriForum to privately prosecute former president Jacob Zuma's son.
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel said Abrahams' decision was not only a victory for the Dube family, Nel and AfriForum, but for everyone in the country who had had it with Zuma, his family and friends evading prosecution as a result of protection offered by the NPA.
“AfriForum cornered Abrahams, because if he again decides not to prosecute Duduzane, he knows that Nel is ready to continue with private prosecution. However, if he decides to do his job and prosecute Duduzane, it will be a victory for Dube’s family, AfriForum and equality before the law,” Kriel said.
Kriel added that Abrahams will soon have to face pressure from Nel again when he has to decide whether or not the NPA will prosecute the former president on charges of corruption.
READ MORE: Duduzane Zuma to be prosecuted over fatal car crash
“Abrahams knows that, if he decides not to prosecute Zuma, Nel is ready to privately prosecute the former president. Hopefully, this will force him to do the right thing by deciding that the NPA must prosecute Zuma,” Kriel said.
The charges against Zuma's son relate to a car accident on February 1, 2014 on the M1 highway in Gauteng in which Duduzane was involved.
Duduzane's car rear-ended Jabulani Vusi Dlamini's minibus taxi on the M1 South off-ramp to Grayston Drive in Sandton, resulting in the death of Phumzile Dube while three other passengers were injured.
The NPA in August 2015 decided not to prosecute Duduzane, despite the findings of an inquest that Zuma's son was negligent in the accident.