Question NW3592 to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
24 November 2023 - NW3592
Breytenbach, Adv G to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
With reference to the Solicitor-General’s determination that the legal fees incurred by the former President, Mr J G Zuma, in multiple unsuccessful legal challenges to almost every aspect of the State’s corruption case against him, which he has been instructed to repay by the Supreme Court of Appeal, have doubled since the initial assessment was made, what are the (a) full relevant details of the person who conducted the reassessment and (b) further relevant details regarding the investigation, including the reasons that the original estimation has nearly doubled?
Reply:
a) what are the full relevant details of the person who conducted the reassessment?
The reassessment was conducted by the senior and junior advocates involved in the matter, along with the attorney of record and state accountants attached to the Office of State Attorney, Pretoria.
and
b) further relevant details regarding the investigation, including the reasons that the original estimation has nearly doubled?
The advocates that are on brief (on behalf of the State) in the matter initiated the reassessment after reviewing the initial pleadings and records filed in the High Court (Pretoria) during the review application. Discrepancies were found, leading to the discovery of omitted amounts in the initial accounts made by the State Attorney, resulting in nearly doubling the original estimation. This resulted in the revision of the quantification and intimated claim upwards.