ex-president Jacob Zuma’s accounts partially frozen

Former South African President Jacob Zuma’s bank accounts have been partially frozen after a court ruling in a case surrounding the financing of work on his property after his election in 2009, his bank said. Wednesday March 20.

“FNB (First National Bank) has been ordered by the High Court to suspend outgoing payments from former President Zuma’s FNB accounts. The accounts are not being closed as incoming payments are not affected,” the bank said by email. Jacob Zuma, 81, can take legal action to challenge this decision, added the FNB.

Freshly elected president, Jacob Zuma embarked on the renovation of his stronghold of Nkandla, in the Zulu countryside (east) for heavy sums. Citing the need for work for his security as head of state, he included in the list of renovations the creation of a swimming pool, supposed to combat the risk of fire, as well as the construction of a henhouse and ‘a cattle enclosure.

Judging that this work was in no way linked to security issues, the opposition referred the matter to the Constitutional Court. This ordered Jacob Zuma to repay the equivalent of 480,000 euros, an episode widely cited by his detractors to later demand his dismissal.