Pretoria - It is an extremely bleak day for President Jacob Zuma, as he will by late Wednesday afternoon know what damning findings are against him in the much dreaded report compiled by former public protector Thuli Madonsela.
The Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, on Wednesday ordered that the report must be made public by no later than 5pm on November 2. It must also be published on the public protector's website.
This was met by a clapping of hands and cheering in the packed public gallery.
Judge President Dunstan Mlambo meanwhile also ordered that the Zuma camp was responsible for the legal bill, on a punitive scale.
The court, however, gave Zuma seven days in which to make representations to the court as to why he should not personally be held accountable for the bill.
Zuma, in a suddern turn of events on Wednesday morning withdrew his application to gag the report, pending him giving his input into it.
This came after his legal team was due to kick off the proceedings as to why the report should remain under wraps.
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Des van Rooyen is one of the many ministers and state officials who will be waiting with bated breath for the report.
His second bid to gag the release of the report failed on Tuesday, when the court struck it from the roll due to lack to urgency.
Pretoria News