South Africa to announce decision on Jacob Zuma

South African state prosecutors will announce in two weeks whether they will reinstate corruption charges against former president Jacob Zuma, eNCA television reported on Monday.

The 783 counts of corruption against Zuma relate to a 30 billion rand (2.6 billion dollars) government arms deal arranged in the late 1990s.

They were filed but then dropped by the National Prosecuting Authority shortly before Zuma ran for the presidency.


South Africa’s High Court reinstated the charges in 2016 and the Supreme Court upheld that decision in 2017, rejecting an appeal by Zuma and describing the NPA’s decision to set aside the charges as “irrational”.

It then fell to NPA Head Shaun Abrahams to decide whether or not the NPA would pursue a case against Zuma, who resigned as head of state earlier this month on orders of the ruling African National Congress.

NPA spokesman, Luvuyo Mfaku, could not be reached for comment.

NAN reports that Zuma resigned as president of South Africa on February 14.

On October 13, 2017, South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal upheld a High Court ruling to reinstate nearly 800 corruption charges filed against Zuma before he became president.

Zuma, who has faced and denied numerous other corruption allegations since taking office, said he was disappointed by the court’s decision and asked the National Prosecuting Authority to “consider representations” before deciding whether to proceed against him.

It was unclear when the NPA would make a decision on the charges, which relate to a 30 billion rand ($2 billion) government arms deal arranged in the late 1990s.

The unanimous Supreme Court ruling upheld a High Court decision in April 2016 that the charges against Zuma should be reinstated.

They had been set aside in April 2009 by the then-head of the prosecuting authority, paving the way for Zuma to run for president later that year.

Rejecting an appeal brought by Zuma and the NPA, Judge Lorimer Leach said it was “irrational” for the NPA to have set the charges aside — the same word used by the High Court.

Zuma was linked to the 1990s arms deal through his former financial adviser, who was jailed for corruption.