DURBAN – Former President Jacob Zuma appeared in the Durban High Court today in order that the case against him be placed back on the roll. Although Zuma was finally getting the day in Court he has been calling for, the case was postponed by the court to June 8th despite the prosecution indicating that it was ready to proceed. At that time Zuma will have to answer to a 16-charge indictment detailing the charges brought against him.
Although the then Head of the National Prosecuting Authority, Mokotedi Mpshe decided not to prosecute Zuma in 2009, citing “political interference” in the decision to charge him, the current NPA head, Shaun Abrahams recently announced that the charges would be reinstated. This followed the Pretoria High Court having previously ruled that the 2009 decision to drop the racketeering, corruption, money laundering and fraud charges had been irrational, and, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissing both Zuma and the NPA’s subsequent appeals.
Speculation is rife that Zuma and his defence team will try their utmost to drag the case out or as long as possible. Expectations are that Zuma: will ask that the NPA review its decision to prosecute him; apply for a permanent stay of execution; and that if the DA application to stop continued State funding of Zuma’s legal fees is successful, he will run out of money necessitating a change in his defence strategy.
Speaking outside the Durban High Court to supporters that had marched from King Dinizulu Park in their ANC regalia, Zuma thanked his them saying he will challenge what he sees as a “politically motivated” court case while also lamenting that there were those that he had trusted that now do not support him. He reportedly also said that those that were pushing for the trial to go ahead would be sorry and that “the truth will come out”, at the same time again asking “what have I done? I am innocent until proven guilty”.
That many of Zuma’s supporters defied the ANC National Executive Committee ban on wearing ANC regalia at the court hearing will have raised eyebrows. Claims by Zuma’s supporters that he was being targeted because of his stand on radical economic transformation, and his own contention that people want him silenced because they wanted to remain rich and keep the black majority poor will have caused dismay amongst those seeking to promote unity in the ANC. Others may see such comments as low-level incitement.
