Cape Town – Former president Jacob Zuma’s anticipated appearance at the Pietermaritzburg High Court for his arms deal case on Tuesday, August 10, is in doubt, as he remains in hospital.
Zuma was last week admitted to a hospital outside the Escourt prison where he is serving his 15-month jail term for contempt of court.
The Department of Correctional Services confirmed in a statement on Friday that Zuma was admitted to an outside hospital for “medical observation”.
In a tweet on Monday, August 9, the Jacob Zuma Foundation said the former president’s lawyers and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)’s legal team were mulling a postponement of his corruption trial.
Following last night confirmation by the Dept of Correctional Services that Pres Zuma is still in hospital,the Foundation has learnt that his & the NPA legal teams are discussing making a joint approach to the Judge for a postponement of this week’s proceedings in the Pmb Court.
— JGZuma Foundation (Official) (@JGZ_Foundation) August 9, 2021
“Following last night confirmation by the Department of Correctional Services that (former) President Zuma is still in hospital, the foundation has learnt that his and the NPA legal teams are discussing making a joint approach to the judge for a postponement of this week’s proceedings in the Pietermaritzburg High Court,” the foundation tweeted.
The NPA, however, could not confirm this.
“We cannot comment on the matter at this stage until there is pronouncement from the judge hearing the matter,” IOL quoted Mthunzi Mhaga, the spokesperson of the NPA as saying on Monday.
Meanwhile, EWN, quoted the Jacob Zuma Foundation’s spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi as saying that Zuma’s test results were not yet out.
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“We are caught up in the process of kinds of tests and things that are run in the lab, and it didn’t assist the fact that we had a weekend in between. Those are the kinds of delays that we are stuck in. But I really need to make it clear that we don’t have a President Zuma that was rushed to hospital because of something. It’s none of that at all.”
Zuma faces 16 charges of fraud, graft and racketeering related to the 1999 purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and equipment from five European arms firms when he was deputy president.
He is accused of taking bribes from one of the firms, French defence giant Thales, which has been charged with corruption and money laundering.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
