There is a strong police presence outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court ahead of the fraud and corruption trial of former President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday.
Zuma and French arms company, Thales, are facing fraud, corruption, racketeering and money laundering charges in connection with the 1999 multi-billion rand arms deal.
Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus and Zuma’s son Edward have already arrived.
But, organisers of groups supporting the former President say they are disappointed with the behaviour demonstrated by some ANC supporters during last week’s court appearance.
Bishop Vusi Dube says such behaviour is regrettable, “We are very concerned, I think one of the highlights of that moment of Boeing was what Msholozi said when he stood up. He was very explicit and very clear that when people are coming here they must come with the heart of supporting his program, they must not come here with any political motive.”
He adds: “What is important is that the people who are going to be coming here will be led religiously. Our programme is a religious programme. We are going to make sure that people who are coming here are orderly and they don’t do this thing of putting dirty linen of the ANC in front of the people and in fact of the world.”
#sabcnews #sabckzn Former President Jacob Zuma’s son Edward says his father’s case has taken a toll on his family. He revealed that some of their bank accounts have been frozen. pic.twitter.com/UlO6TgNzL7
— Nonkululeko Hlophe (@Leko3) May 26, 2021
Former President Jacob Zuma’s son Edward Zuma in court to support his father:
Meanwhile, Executive member of the Active Citizens Movement Aslam Mayat says it would be a travesty to South Africa’s democracy and its people if the trial against Zuma suffers further delays.
Judge Piet Koen adjourned the matter last week to give the defense time to file a special appeal related to a call for the recusal of the lead State prosecutor Advocate Billy Downer.
Mayat says it is critical that the trial gets underway, “The current application would draw things out longer and delay the day in court that Mr Zuma claims he so desperately wants. If this fails, nothing stops him from applying for a discharge of the Judge, either now or after the trial has commenced, so get out the popcorn and wait – but also to be fair to Mr Zuma. It’s also the prosecution who withdrew the charges. So there has been a lot of problems on the side of the prosecution which has taken a long time to come to trial.”
