The National Director of Public Prosecutions would need to show that he was working for the people and not “a lackey” of President Jacob Zuma, Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane said on Tuesday.

Maimane, who was campaigning in Durban’s Wentworth and Clare Estate areas, said that Zuma needed to have his day in court and face 783 corruption charges that were withdrawn by former acting National Prosecuting Authority head Mokotedi Mpshe in April 2009.

“Shaun Abrahams must prove that he is not a lackey of Jacob Zuma, he’s not an appointee of Jacob Zuma. That he must prove that he’s here to serve the people of this country.”

He said that Abrahams needed to realise his position as NPA head did not entitle him to operate outside the law. He warned that Abrahams would have to account to the courts for any decision not to proceed with the prosecution of the South African president and that if he did not do so, the DA would challenge him.

“We’ve shown that we can take on the president. We’ll equally make sure that he’s held accountable to the standards to make sure that he actually continues with this prosecution against Jacob Zuma,” said Maimane in Wentworth.

“Those 700-odd charges must stand against President Jacob Zuma. He must have his day in court.”

He said that the NPA did not have any discretion about charging Zuma.

“In our view, the decision [in 2009] was to discontinue the charges, which means the charges stood. They [the NPA] decided to discontinue prosecution. If that decision was irrational then prosecution must proceed.”

He said that Abrahams needed to realise he was not a power that could operate outside the law.

On Friday, a unanimous decision of the Pretoria High Court ruled that the decision by Mpshe to drop the prosecution against Zuma was irrational and it set aside that decision.

Maimane’s visit to Wentworth did not go unchallenged, with African National Congress (ANC) supporters bringing out their own sound system as Maimane attempted to address supporters outside The Ark, a shelter for the homeless in Wentworth.

In Clare Estate, the ANC turnout was smaller, with a few people wearing t-shirts and and holding placards. One woman had a hastily written card board placard that read: “DA not allowed in this ward.”

In both Wentworth and the informal settlement on Palmiet Drive in Clare estate, Maimane said that Zuma had forgotten about the people in the two settlements.

He accused the ANC of being only interested in protecting Zuma.

“It’s clear that we must bring a change that delivers basic services for the people and cuts corruption.”

He said the DA’s track record in the areas where it governed showed that it had delivered and that the party would grow across the country in the upcoming local government elections scheduled to be held on August 3.

He said that the ANC’s failure to fill the stadium when it launched its local government manifesto in Port Elizabeth last month was indicative of how people were feeling.

“The people chose change rather than go to a stadium and listen to more lies from Jacob Zuma. How do you listen to a person that has violated the constitution? How do you listen to a person that has over 700 charges of corruption and racketeering?”

He said the DA was growing across the country and the party had shown major growth and was having a presence in many communities where previously it would not campaign.

Asked whether the DA would enter into coalitions with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to dislodge the ANC, he said: “I don’t discuss penalty shoot-outs before the game has started. At this point in time I am going for a win in Nelson Mandela Metro.”

Maimane said that seeing a family of 20 people living in a shack in Clare estate was an injustice to all South Africans.

“These are the people they traded against when the ANC chose to build Nkandla, they forgot that family.”