Durban - Jacob Zuma’s legal woes mounted on Friday when his successor Cyril Ramaphosa pulled the plug on the state paying for his challenge to the public protector's state capture report.
Zuma was slapped by the full bench of the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, with having to pay legal costs for his challenge to former public protector Thuli Madonsela’s state capture report from his own pocket.
It was revealed on Friday that Ramaphosa's lawyers said he would not appeal the cost order against Zuma, and if Zuma wanted to, he must do so from his own pocket.
It is estimated that the costs run to R10 million.
Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Khusela Diko could not be reached for comment.
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This was a blow against Zuma who will be facing multiple legal challenges in the next few months.
Despite his criminal trial, Zuma is expected to be called to testify at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into state capture.
The commission, chaired by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, will begin its work in the next few months.
Zuma had challenged Madonsela’s report in October last year, which caused a delay in its release.
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This also followed complaints by Madonsela that Zuma had taken 18 months to respond to her written questions over allegations of state capture.
When he did respond in 2016, Zuma did not answer some of the questions.
The punitive cost order against Zuma came also after the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, slapped current Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane with a personal cost order.
This was in relation to her CIEX report into the bailout of Bankorp by the state.
Mkhwebane complained in Parliament a few weeks ago against the personal cost order against her in the matter.
The order is estimated at R1m and she is appealing the decision of the High Court.
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However, this is not the end of it for Mkhwebane as she also complained in Parliament over the DA’s application in the High Court against her in relation to the Estina dairy project.
The DA and the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution want the court to issue a personal cost order against her.
They accuse Mkhwebane of writing a whitewash report that exonerated former Free State premier Ace Magashule and former mineral resources minister Mosebenzi Zwane over the awarding of the dairy project to the Guptas.
They are taking the report on review and asked the court to get Mkhwebane to pay legal fees from her own pocket.