African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma’s lawyers said this week that they intended applying for leave to appeal against the Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that could revive his prosecution on corruption charges. Zuma faces charges and sub-charges of fraud, corruption, money-laundering, tax evasion and racketeering.
Re-opening the case will damage Zuma’s image and will certainly increase political uncertainty in the country.
Zuma was charged for a second time shortly after being elected president of the ruling party at the end of 2007.
His supporters maintain the charges are part of a political conspiracy against him.
Will this unholy mess ever be sorted out?
It now also appears that a plea bargain is out of the question, which would be construed as an admission of guilt regarding the arms deal.
What cannot be denied is that this case has traumatised and transfixed the country for too long.
Max Du Preez, writing in the Star this week, said that it would not be in the country’s interest to go into this year’s election with Zuma as the ANC’s presidential candidate. He suggested that President Kgalema Motlanthe stay on in the role as caretaker president, until any possible case against Zuma is finalised.
Motlanthe, in an interview with the Mail & Guardian recently, dodged the question by saying that when the ANC elected Zuma as its presidential candidate, he was not facing any charges.
Speaking before judge Chris Nicholson’s judgement was unceremoniously tossed out by the SCA, Motlanthe said: “Whatever happens thereafter must run its course, even if he is charged.
“He remains the ANC’s contender for presidency of the country in this year’s elections.”
That was then, this is now.
When will Zuma be charged, and what will be the effect on the country and the international community if our president is indicted for corruption?
| FULL SPEED AHEAD |
NOT SO FAST |
Edwin Cameron
Cameron woke to the New Year to find himself a judge of the Constitutional Court. It is hard to think of a more deserving candidate, ten years after his appointment was blocked by Thabo Mbeki. |
 Chris Nicholson
The high court judge was criticised by a full bench of the Supreme Court of Appeal this week for his ruling in the Zuma matter, where his approach was described, among other things, as having been “subverted by a failure to confine the judgment to the issues before the court”. |
Most-read stories
January 8 to January 14 2009
1. ‘We’ll triumph over Cope’
After his first 100 days in office, President Kgalema Motlanthe speaks to Ebrahim Harvey about the Congress of the People, the sacking of Vusi Pikoli and Zimbabwe.
2. New Mohlala shock
Top African National Congress (ANC) officials in Mpumalanga decided last month to reinstate former Nelspruit municipal manager Jacob Dladla — despite serious corruption allegations against him related to 2010 World Cup tenders.
3. Court opens way for new Zuma charges
South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeals on Monday overturned a judge’s ruling dismissing graft charges against ANC leader Jacob Zuma, opening the way for fresh corruption charges against him.
4. Science is losing to religion
He sold 1,5-million copies of The God Delusion, and stumped up thousands of pounds for atheist adverts. Decca Aitkenhead interviews Richard Dawkins — “Darwin’s Rottweiler”
5. Judgement day for Zuma
The Supreme Court of Appeal will decide on Monday morning whether to reopen a corruption case against Zuma, after an appeal by prosecutors against the dismissal of charges.
6. Judge Nicholson red-carded by SCA
For four months he was the African National Congress’s (ANC) darling — the “beautiful” judge who had the balls to speak truth to former president Thabo Mbeki’s political meddling in Jacob Zuma’s corruption case.
7. Zuma decision unlikely to count against ANC
The Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that opened the way for corruption charges to be levelled against African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma may not count against the party in the elections, political analyst Steven Friedman told the Mail & Guardian Online on Monday.
8. Radebe sacks execs
Transport Minister Jeff Radebe sacked two senior board members of the South African Rail Commuter Corporation (SARCC) shortly after they criticised the corporation’s handling of a multibillion-rand tender for the replacement of the entire Metrorail passenger train fleet.
9. Sparks fly over JZ wedding gift
Mpumalanga “premier-in-waiting” David “DD” Mabuza has been accused by fellow ANC members of “buying” the premiership by donating R400 000 towards the wedding of ANC president Jacob Zuma last year.
10. ANC asks lawyers to review NPA Act
The African National Congress’s (ANC) parliamentary caucus has asked party lawyers to review the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Act in the wake of the Supreme Court of Appeal’s (SCA) judgement in the Jacob Zuma case, the ruling party’s chief whip said on Tuesday.