South Africa’s ex-president Zuma escapes unharmed from car crash | News
Police arrest 51-year-old man for drunk and reckless driving after he crashed into Zuma’s armoured state car.
South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma survived a automobile accident after a car transporting him was hit by a drunk driver, police stated.
The incident occurred hours after electoral officers barred Zuma from standing within the Could 29 basic elections.
A 51-year-old man was arrested in KwaZulu-Natal province “for drunken driving, in addition to on a cost of reckless and negligent driving”, the South African Police Service (SAPS) stated on Friday.
The driving force’s automobile “collided” with Zuma’s “official armoured state car”, on Thursday, SAPS posted on X. The suspect is to seem in courtroom on Tuesday.
#sapsHQ #SAPS have arrested a 51yr-old man for drunken driving in addition to on a cost of reckless and negligent driving on the R66 on Thursday, 28/03 at about 18:40. The person’s motorcar collided with former President, Mr Jacob Zuma’s official armoured state car. On the… pic.twitter.com/OmmrEBLdkS
— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) March 29, 2024
Zuma, 81, and his bodyguards escaped unhurt.
The veteran of the ruling African Nationwide Congress (ANC) has been campaigning for the not too long ago shaped uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) (Spear of the Nation) get together in an try to relaunch his profession after he was beforehand jailed for contempt of courtroom in 2021.
Zuma’s tenure resulted in 2018 beneath a cloud of corruption allegations when incumbent Cyril Ramaphosa changed him, however he nonetheless wields political clout.
MK spokesman Nhlamulo Ndhlela alleged the automobile collision was not a coincidence.
“The police minister who’s chargeable for the previous president’s safety unit has not upgraded his car for eight years and he is similar person who has beforehand uttered messages round burying Zuma,” Ndhlela advised the AFP information company.
“There may be underhand at play right here,” he stated, alleging that Zuma’s automobile was particularly focused within the motorcade.
Political tensions are operating excessive within the lead-up to the elections, during which the ANC is getting ready to dropping under 50 % of the vote for the primary time because it got here to energy on the finish of apartheid in 1994.
The get together is bleeding help amid a weak economic system and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.