South Africa's Zuma attends pretrial hearing of graft case, addresses supporters outside court

Record ID: 1837746

  • Title: South Africa's Zuma attends pretrial hearing of graft case, addresses supporters outside court
  • Date: 29th August 2024
  • Summary: PIETERMARITZBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (AUGUST 29, 2024) (REUTERS) SOUTH AFRICA FORMER PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA LAUGHING AND TALKING WITH HIS ADVOCATES, INCLUDING DALI MPOFU (FRONT LEFT) ZUMA AND OTHERS IN COURT RISING FOR JUDGE ZUMA TAKING SEAT ZUMA AND ENTOURAGE LEAVING COURT ROOM EXTERIOR OF THE KWAZULU-NATAL HIGH COURT VARIOUS OF ZUMA ADDRESSING CROWDS OF SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE HIGH C
  • Embargoed: 12th September 2024 16:06
  • Keywords: Arms deal Arms trading Corruption Court Crime Government Jacob Zuma Justice Law Politics President South Africa Zuma
  • Location: PIETERMARITZBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • City: PIETERMARITZBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Africa,Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
  • Reuters ID: LVA001010029082024RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:South African former president, Jacob Zuma, appeared in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court on Thursday (August 29) in Pietermaritzburg. After previously refusing Zuma’s plea that prosecution advocate Billy Downer should be recused, Judge Nkosinathi Chili adjourned Thursday's court hearing until September 11 to provide reasons for keeping Downer at the bar. The 19-year-old court case against Zuma and French arms company Thales, will resume officially in April 2025, and will consider allegations of corruption in an arms deal scandal against the accused.
    After the court was adjourned, Zuma addressed crowds of supporters who were wearing regalia of his new political party, the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. He spoke in Zulu, and sang “Umshini Wami”. Joining Zuma were fellow MK Party members, including Floyd Shivambu, who joined the party in a surprise move earlier this month, stepping down from his position as deputy president for the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
    Zuma served as deputy president of South Africa from 1999 to 2005 under former President Thabo Mbeki, but was dismissed when he was implicated in the graft trial relating to a $2 billion arms deal. From 2009, Zuma's nine years as president were defined by what South Africans call "state capture" after an inquiry pointed to systemic corruption in which well-connected business people plundered state resources. Zuma was sentenced to 15 months in prison in 2021 for failing to appear at an inquiry into corruption during his time in power, although he only served two months before being released on medical parole. More than 300 people were killed in the riots and looting spree that followed his arrest.
    The corruption charges against him were dropped and reinstated multiple times amid claims of political interference. The case is scheduled to go to trial next year.
    (Production: Rogan Ward, Catherine Schenck)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2024. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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