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- Former president Jacob Zuma stands accused of 18 charges of corruption, racketeering, fraud and tax evasion linked to his allegedly corrupt relationship with his former financial advisor, Schabir Shaik.
- While the State's case against Zuma was declared trial-ready three years ago, the trial has been delayed by his repeated efforts to force the removal of prosecutor Billy Downer.
- On Thursday, Judge Nkosinathi Chili confirmed that KwaZulu-Natal High Court Judge President Thoba Portia Poyo-Dlwati had allocated dates from April to September 2025 for Zuma's trial.
KwaZulu-Natal High Court Judge President Thoba Portia Poyo-Dlwati has scheduled dates between April and September 2025 for former president Jacob Zuma to finally face trial – 20 years after he first charged with Arms Deal corruption.
Speaking to News24 after KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg Judge Nkosinathi Chili postponed the case against Zuma to 29 August for another pre-trial conference, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga said the State hoped there would be no further delays in the case.
"Given the fact that the judge president has reserved those two dates in the second and third term for the trial to proceed, we are hoping that there are no hurdles that we will have to navigate now and that, finally, the matter will proceed.
"Remember, [Zuma and his co-accused, French arms company Thales] have already pleaded, and even the fact that there is now going to be a second pre-trial conference is a frustration for the State, but we are hoping that on 29 August that pre-trial conference will iron out any outstanding preliminary issues so that on 14 April 2025 the trial proceeds," Mhaga said.
According to the pre-trial minute prepared by the State, Zuma's trial will take place from 14 April to 20 June 2025, and then from 21 July to 19 September.
Prosecutor Billy Downer on Thursday told Chili that the State and Thales had also agreed that the case could proceed for three weeks from November this year, but Zuma's legal representation, advocate Dali Mpofu, had indicated that the former president was "not available at all" at that time.
Asked if it was normal for an accused person to dictate their availability to go on trial, Mhaga said: "Look, accused come with all sorts of excuses about why they cannot have a matter proceed … but that is a decision the court will have to make after weighing up the interests of the accused and the State."
Zuma was not in court for Thursday morning's hearing.
