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Ramaphosa’s application against Zuma to be heard in January

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President Cyril Ramaphosa’s application to interdict former President Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution against him will be heard at the High Court in Johannesburg on January 10.

Zuma is accusing Ramaphosa of assisting State advocate, Billy Downer, to violate sections of the National Prosecuting Act.

The charges relate to News24’s publication of details of Zuma’s medical condition, which were attached to court papers lodged at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg, last year.

President Ramaphosa has since dismissed Zuma’s case as an abuse of the judiciary on frivolous allegations that Ramaphosa says are baseless.

Zuma determined to proceed

Zuma is determined to proceed with his bid to have his successor Cyril Ramaphosa privately prosecuted.

Zuma has accused the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of bias after it said that the [nolle prosequi] certificates it issued the former President and his legal team were not in relation to Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa’s lawyers had written to Zuma, demanding that he withdraw the private prosecution.

NPA spokesperson Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga says, “The NPA issued two nolle prosequi certificates in good faith and in compliance with Section 7 of the Criminal Procedure Act. These certificates were issued in direct relation to the docket Pietermaritzburg case. Which contained statements and affidavits relating to specific individuals for alleged contravention of the NPA Act.”

“The nolle prosequi certificates applied to any persons who are specifically mentioned in the docket. The President was not mentioned in any of the affidavits or statements and thus the certificates were not issued in relation to him. Any further clarification will be provided in court should the matter be litigated,” says Mhaga.

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