The former president wants to have his 1999 arms deal case withdrawn.
Former president Jacob Zuma had a busy Thursday, losing an appeal concerning the repayment of his R28.9 million legal bill.
He also challenged a court decision that rejected that his corruption charges should be dropped, and filed a recusal application related to the ongoing Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) commission of inquiry.
Zuma had sought leave to appeal after the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ruled on 22 October that he was responsible for paying his own private legal costs.
He was ordered to pay R28 960 774.34 plus interest to the State Attorney within 60 days.
Should he fail to settle the amount, his presidential pension benefits could be attached.
Zuma ordered to repay R28.9 million
In his judgment delivered on 4 December, Judge Anthony Millar reprimanded Zuma, highlighting that the courts cannot remain “open indefinitely” for a litigant who refuses to accept a ruling on a specific issue.
He further emphasised that accountability must be enforced equally for all citizens.
“It is destructive of the notion that all are equal before the law and confirmatory of the view that there is far too much law for those who can afford it and far too little for those who cannot,” the judgment reads.
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Millar, therefore, ruled that there was no prospect of success and no compelling reason for the matter to be reconsidered.
“I am not persuaded that another court would come to a different conclusion or that there is some other compelling reason why leave to appeal should be granted.”
Zuma was also ordered to pay costs.
Arms deal case appeal
In another legal matter, Zuma appeared in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) High Court in Pietermaritzburg, where he and French arms company Thales sought to have their 1999 arms deal case withdrawn.
Previously, Zuma and Thales lost their bid to have corruption, fraud, racketeering, and money-laundering charges dropped in June, but they have since filed an appeal.
During Thursday’s proceedings, Zuma’s lawyer, Advocate Dali Mpofu, contended that the ongoing delays violated his client’s right to a fair trial and would cause him prejudice.
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The state filed a counter-application to stop what it described as Zuma and Thales’ “Stalingrad” strategy used to stall the trial.
Mpofu also highlighted that the deaths of key witnesses in the arms deal case made it difficult to present crucial evidence.
“They cannot be resurrected,” he said.
“We cannot cross-examine a man who is six-feet under the ground today, tomorrow, during the trial, after the trial and forever.”
Watch the proceedings below:
Advocate Barry Roux, representing Thales, insisted that the appeal was not a Stalingrad application.
“It’s a misnomer,” Roux told the court.
Meanwhile, Wim Trengove, representing the state, described the trial as stuck in a “never-ending merry-go-around” and emphasised that the accused must face their day in court.
The judgment in this matter has been reserved and is expected on 23 January 2026.
Zuma seeks recusal of TRC chair
Zuma also filed an application requesting that former judge Sisi Khampepe, chairing the TRC inquiry, recuse herself from the proceedings.
The inquiry, which began hearings on 10 November, was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate political interference in the prosecution of TRC cases.
Allegations from 25 families and survivors claim that such interference blocked hundreds of murder cases and other serious crimes from being pursued.
Zuma seeks Khampepe’s recusal over alleged bias, citing her role in the 2021 Constitutional Court case that found him guilty of contempt of court for refusing to appear before the state capture commission of inquiry.
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In response, GOOD party secretary-general Brett Herron questioned the timing of Zuma’s application.
“Until now, Zuma, who succeeded [Thabo] Mbeki as president, has said very little about the non-prosecution of the killers of his former comrades,” he said.
Herron added that justice still needs to be served.
The TRC inquiry was recently granted a six-month extension by Ramaphosa, with a deadline to complete its work by 29 May 2026 and submit its report by 31 July 2026.
