Zuma poisoning saga: First lady breaks her silence
Sunday Times says it spoke to her through her lawyer who said she was kicked out of Nkandla in January.
JOHANNESBURG - President Jacob Zuma's estranged wife Nompumelelo Ntuli-Zuma has broken her silence about the scandal that has clouded her relationship for the past few months, telling the media that she was kicked out of her home by Security Minister David Mahlobo.
The Sunday Times says it spoke to her through her lawyer who told them Mahlobo instructed Ntuli-Zuma to pack her bags and leave Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal with her three young children.
Zuma and his wife have since become estranged over an alleged plot to poison the president.
The paper says Mahlobo told Ntuli-Zuma she needed to move out of Nkandla because of a sensitive matter his intelligence department was investigating.
Her attorney Ulrich Roux told the Sunday Times that this happened in January this year.
Ntuli-Zuma has denied any involvement in the alleged plot and told the paper her husband has not confronted her about the issue.
Police took over the matter and are still investigating.
Meanwhile, her mother Ntombi Ntuli says she demands to know the truth.
'NTULI-ZUMA CONFESSED'
Earlier this month, City Press Editor Ferial Haffajee said she was standing by the story her paper printed claiming Ntuli-Zuma had admitted to being part of a plot to poison the president.
Ntuli-Zuma's lawyers said the story is not true and they were considering suing the paper for making defamatory claims.
The paper said that she'd confessed to knowing about a plot to use her to access Zuma.
But Roux said the story was not true.
"There are no credible sources named, it raises the question why the newspaper would not rely on these sources and name them if they are confident that the information provided is accurate and correct."
Roux said the story was a fabrication and defamatory.
"If we find that they are guilty of having reported negligently and recklessly then we will advise our client accordingly."
The City Press reported that it had well-placed sources indicating she would be charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
Ntuli-Zuma was apparently banned from the Nkandla homestead earlier this year following claims of a plot to poison the president.
It's alledged a docket was opened with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) with sources saying Ntuli-Zuma made a statement to investigators.
The City Press reported that while sources in the NPA said top bosses are aware of the matter, spokesperson Vuyo Mfaku denied this.
