DA vs Zuma in 2 court cases

The Democratic Alliance and President Jacob Zuma, pictured, will tackle each other in legal battles in both the High Court in Pretoria and the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein this week.

The DA’s application for a court order declaring that the president had violated his constitutional obligations and forcing him to comply with the remedial action in former public protector Thuli Mandonsela’s State of Capture report will be argued in the High Court in Pretoria over the next two days.

Zuma has launched a conditional counter-application, allowing him to obtain an urgent stay of the remedial action, should the court find that such an application was necessary.

The president launched a review application to set aside the State of Capture report on December 2 last year, a day after he was supposed to have implemented the public protector’s remedial action. He maintained his review application suspended the remedial action.

On Friday, the DA and the president will face off in the Supreme Court of Appeal where Zuma and the National Prosecuting Authority will seek to appeal a high court ruling that a decision by former national director of public prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe to drop 783 charges of fraud, corruption, racketeering and money laundering against Zuma was irrational.

The DA will oppose the application, maintaining that Zuma should face the criminal charges as soon as possible.