Nokuthula Mbatha/African News Agency (ANA)
It was quiet outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday morning ahead of former South African president Jacob Zuma's expected appearance for a hearing about the multiple fraud and corruption charges he is facing, dating back to the so-called arms deal of the 1990s.
Zuma's new attorney Eric Mabuza, wearing a cloth mask and visor, told journalists upon arriving at the court precinct that his defence team was ready to proceed to trial, but the state was not.
Mabuza said earlier this week that his client would be appearing in person.
Despite the lack of supporters, a heavy police presence was visible. Zuma's previous appearances have attracted scores of his supporters to the court, but Tuesday's hearing was being strictly controlled because of the coronavirus pandemic, with media seating limited to 10 people inside the court.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) wants the trial against the former president to start in 2021, citing the coronavirus as a key reason for the delay.
The state also wants to amend the indictment to include eight new, albeit minor, charges against Zuma.
However, papers filed with the court show that his legal team will argue that the trial should start this October, for reasons that include his age.
The former president is 78-years-old, and the fraud and corruption charges against him have been in and out of the courts for the past 15 years.
The matter was set to start at 10 am on Tuesday and broadcast live on several news channels.
- African News Agency (ANA)
