/ 3 February 2009

Zuma files Constitutional Court papers

The Constitutional Court has received the full set of papers required for African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma’s application, a court official said on Tuesday.

The ANC president’s Durban-based attorney missed the 3.30pm deadline for filing the papers in Johannesburg on Monday, but subsequently sent copies by email, which were considered insufficient as the court rules also call for 25 hard copies.

Late filing can be remedied by an application for the judges to condone this.

The justices of the court will now decide whether to grant him an opportunity to argue his case.

The appeal to the court relates to a Supreme Court of Appeal judgement in January that had the effect of allowing the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to continue pursuing its corruption case against him.

Zuma’s lawyers and the NPA would also be back in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Wednesday as the NPA revives its court action against Zuma. — Sapa