The corruption and fraud trial of controversial Durban businessman Schabir Shaik gets under way in the Durban High Court on Monday.
However, Shaik is only expected to take his place in the dock on Wednesday, after an application by e.tv to film the court proceedings has been dealt with.
The trial has aroused intense public interest, largely because the outcome is likely to decide Deputy President Jacob Zuma’s political future and his chances of succeeding Thabo Mbeki in the presidency.
Independent Democrats politician and former business associate of Shaik, Professor Themba Sono, will be the first witness called by the state, and would probably take the stand on Wednesday.
In a charge sheet shot through with references to Zuma, the state alleges Shaik made improper payments totalling R1,25-million benefiting the deputy president between 1995 and 2002 and that he arranged for Zuma to receive R500 000 a year from a French arms manufacturer in return for protection against a probe into arms deal corruption.
Both Zuma and Shaik have disputed this.
Mo Shaik, Schabir’s younger brother and Zuma’s immediate subordinate in Umkhonto weSizwe’s (MK) intelligence services, also told the Mail & Guardian last week that the Shaik family would fight the charges to the bitter end. ‘We are prepared to sell everything and be poor again. We only have our names left to defend,†he said.
At issue in the trial will be whether the Shaiks and Zuma should have distanced themselves from one another once the relationship began to pose a clear conflict of interests.
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