Subdued in court – but outside JZ shows his other face

Durban

Once yesterday’s proceedings inside the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban were over, Jacob Zuma was a changed man.

Outside, cheers welcomed him to the portable stage where Carl Niehaus, Sihle Zikalala, Andile Mngxitama, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, Des van Rooyen and Faith Muthambi waited.

It was the usual rhetoric, song and dance, with Zuma leading the way with a rousing rendition of the struggle song he’s made his own, Umshini wam’.

Yesterday, on the stage in front of his adoring fans, Zuma the rock star showed he was still years away from sentencing. And he knew it.

Zuma’s ongoing tenacity to have the charges against him dismissed may yet frustrate the courts to the point where they declare the trial must go ahead, said attorney Ulrich Roux.

“We’ve had many cases where a court has had enough of parties who delay proceedings, and that could be an accused person or the state. Then the court could rule a person should remain in custody, if they delay matters maliciously or the matter is to proceed come hell or high water,” Roux said.

“Who is the defence going to take the review application to? Who is going to listen to it? The high court has already found on numerous occasions there is enough merit in this matter to prosecute Zuma,” said Roux.