President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that there is no witch hunt against former President Jacob Zuma as he faces a trial for corruption.

Speaking to French media following the Summit on Financing of African Economies, Ramaphosa was asked whether he thought Zuma was escaping justice.

“Well, I don’t think he is escaping justice, if he was escaping justice he would have run away, but he’s not. He is obviously trying to exercise his rights as a person who is accused. I think he would want to say that [it is a witch hunt] but it isn’t. He knows very well that our justice system is a fair justice system and our democracy is a robust democracy that enables all these things to happen, and when one is found not guilty it basically means one is not guilty,” he said.

When asked about Zuma’s refusal to appear before the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture, Ramaphosa said Zuma has given his reasons for not appearing and said the African National Congress (ANC) has pledged its support for the commission.

Ramaphosa said he would appear before the commission again to testify as South African President and as former Deputy President during Zuma’s presidency.

When asked if he regrets not speaking out earlier about State capture, Ramaphosa joked that his testimony should be listened to when he appears again at the commission.

He was also asked about suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule’s claim that Ramaphosa was targeting him to help his re-election campaign.

“Well there’s no real substance to many of those things. He is a person who is himself facing criminal charges, who will seek to find ways to defend himself. When you are President you are attacked by anybody,” Ramaphosa said.

He added that despite the challenges it faces, the ANC was committed to strengthening itself.

“Through all these trials and travails that we are going through the ANC will come out stronger and even better and we will be even more renewed and even more united,” he ended.