Zuma’s graft case ready to go to trial

LONG WAIT: 16 YEARS ON, DATE SET

State advocate says it marks a major ‘milestone’ in the drawn-out saga.

Almost 16 years after he was first charged with corruption, it looks like former president Jacob Zuma will at last have his day in court. His case came briefly before the KwaZulu-Natal High Court yesterday and was set down for trial from 17 May this year.

As state advocate Billy Downer said, this marked a major “milestone” in the drawn-out case which has twice been dropped and then reinstated over the years.

The allegations at the heart of the case centre on a dodgy multibillion-rand arms deal struck with Zuma’s co-accused in the matter – French arms company Thales – in the 1990s.

They include that Zuma – then deputy president – received an annual kickback of R500 000 through his former financial advisor Schabir Shaik in exchange for shielding Thales from investigations. Shaik was charged with corruption in 2003 and after he was found guilty in 2005, the state went after Zuma and Thales.

Their case wound up being struck from the roll the following year. In 2007, it was reinstated but then in 2009 – and in the wake of the spy tapes saga – the National Prosecuting Authority withdrew the charges.

In 2017, the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned that decision and in 2018 the case reinstated.

Last month, though, the court dismissed Thales’ challenge to the racketeering charges and yesterday state advocate Billy Downer said with the company indicating it would not appeal the ruling, the case was finally “trial ready”.

Downer told the court the state had more than 200 witnesses it could potentially call.

While yesterday’s proceedings drew media from around the country, neither Zuma nor Thales was present in court, with the state having agreed they could sit this one out.

The gallery – which in time gone by has been packed with Zuma loyalists – was as a result near empty too.

Philani Gazuzu was among the few in court yesterday. “We came to stand in solidarity with Zuma. We will not allow a situation where he is victimised.” –