Jacob Zuma Foundation Anticipates Postponement

Former president Jacob Zuma’s corruption trial in Pietermaritzburg could be postponed, according to his foundation.

The JG Zuma Foundation says his and the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) legal teams will make a joint approach to the trial judge.

In a tweet, the foundation says the postponement is being mooted because Zuma is still in hospital. 

Former President Jacob Zuma is still in hospital on the eve of his appearance at the Pietermaritzburg High Court for his arms deal court case that is supposed to take place in person.

Zuma was taken for an annual routine check-up on Friday at an outside hospital while he is under strict correctional services supervision.

The Jacob Zuma Foundation’s spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said Zuma’s test results are not yet out and it’s likely that his legal team will have to ask for a postponement.

“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.”

The former President is currently serving a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court.