Former South African president Jacob Zuma appears in the High Court of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 27 July 2018. EPA-EFE/PHIL MAGAKOE / POOL
Former president Jacob Zuma’s application for a permanent stay of prosecution for his corruption trial is set to be heard over three days from May 20 next year.
Zuma appeared in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Friday where the judge ruled that proceedings be postponed to next year.
Zuma’s supporters gathered outside the court on Friday waiting for the former president to address them after proceedings.
Those among Zuma’s supporters at the Pietermaritzburg High Court for his corruption trial included former North West premier Supra Mahumapelo, former communications minister Faith Muthambi, former finance minister Des Van Rooyen, former Congress of South African Trade Unions president Sdumo Dlamini and members of Black First Land First (BLF).
Speaking to journalists outside court, Mahumapelo said Zuma campaigning for the African National Congress (ANC) for next year’s general elections would not have a negative impact on the party’s showing at the polls.
Zuma was back in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg today on corruption charges.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the defence teams of both Zuma and French arms manufacturer Thales settled on May 20, 2019, to argue whether the high-stakes fraud and corruption trial should begin.
The trial, which is yet to begin, is linked to the controversial R60 billion defence force arms deal concluded in 1999, which saw several multinational companies around the world providing technology and equipment.
It is alleged that Thales paid bribes to Zuma — via Zuma’s then financial adviser Schabir Shaik — in order to protect the company from a probe into the arms deal, in which Thales had secured a lucrative R2.6 billion contract to supply combat systems for the South African navy.
It is claimed that Thales paid Zuma — who was deputy president of the country at the time — R500,000 a year for political cover.
Zuma and Thales have asked the court to stop the prosecution and filed their written representations for a stay of prosecution earlier this month.
In Zuma’s affidavit, he said his prosecution had “all the attributes of a case that should be stayed permanently”.
“The delays have been extremely long, the pre-trial irregularities glaring, the prejudice to me is blatant, there are no victims or complainants and the political interference in the prosecution passes as other circumstances or factors the court should take into account,” said the affidavit.
In the affidavit submitted by Thales, company lawyer Christine Guerrier said the decision to reinstate the charges against the company was “unlawful” and that Thales “rights to a fair trial have been violated”.
The company has cited the long delay as an overriding factor and that the “employees involved in the events underpinning the charges are not available to provide [the company] with instructions…to assist [Thales] in presenting its defence at trial”.
Zuma is accused number one and is facing one count of racketeering; two counts of corruption, one count of money laundering and 12 counts of fraud for allegedly receiving bribe money from Thales via Shaik.
Thales is accused number two and is facing one count of racketeering; two counts of corruption and one count of money laundering.
Last year the Supreme Court confirmed a High Court decision that former NPA head Mokotedi Mpshe erred when he decided to drop the same corruption charges against Zuma in 2009.
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