Former president Jacob Zuma waits ahead of his court hearing in Pietermaritzburg, on 30 November 2018.
PHOTO: Rogan Ward/Pool/AFP
19m ago
Jacob Zuma back in court for corruption trial: What can we expect?
After a massive outcry over his non-attendance in court earlier this year, citing ill health, former president Jacob Zuma is expected to appear in person at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday for his corruption trial.
The matter, well over a decade in the making, is on the cusp of going to trial after failed applications for a stay of prosecution by both Zuma and co-accused French arms company, Thales.
Ahead of the proceedings, both the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Zuma’s legal team, headed by recently appointed advocate Eric Mabuza, were mum on exactly what could unfold during proceedings, suggesting a postponement for a holding date – which has been rumoured – would be the tip of the iceberg in the High Court.
19m ago
ICYMI:
Zuma gears up to appear in Pietermaritzburg court, but lockdown regulations hamper support
The normally boisterous support in KwaZulu-Natal for former president Jacob Zuma is expected to be watered down to just a few people on Tuesday thanks to Covid-19 lockdown regulations which prohibit gatherings.
Zuma is expected back in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday for the start of his pre-trial proceedings.
The former president usually has a strong contingent of supporters in Pietermaritzburg for days such as Tuesday, but with new rules kicking in to prevent the spread of Covid-19, it may be a subdued affair.
19m ago
IN-DEPTH
Battleground social media: The gathering Twitter storm
When we say “same WhatsApp group” we normally mean people share a point of view. But occasionally – very occasionally – there really is a WhatsApp group quietly coordinating what people say on social media and what happens in the streets.
In chapter 2 of “Battleground social media”, we look at how remnants of the Zuma faction of the ANC have leveraged non-profits, anonymous Twitter accounts and even an outside political party to advance their agenda.
