The decision by the National Prosecuting Authority to drop corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma was based largely on what have become known as the “spy tapes”.
These are recordings made by the National Intelligence Agency and the police’s Organised Crime Unit of then Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy.
The Democratic Alliance fought the NPA and Zuma for access to the tapes‚ memorandums and notes related to the decision to drop charges against the President.
What follows here is the full transcript of the recordings the NPA considered relevant‚ providing an intimate view of the frantic politicking and paranoia in the run-up to the ANC’s historic Polokwane conference in December 2007.
It also offers candid views on some of this country’s most senior politicians.
Critically‚ there are also notes of the subsequent discussion among senior NPA advocates‚ including Zuma’s legal team of Michael Hulley and Kemp J Kemp‚ which would finally lead to the dropping of charges against Zuma and ultimately pave the way for him to become President of South Africa.
- This article was first published on TimesLive
