The High Court in Joburg on Thursday postponed former president Jacob Zuma's private prosecution bid against President Cyril Ramaphosa to August.
Last year, a full bench of judges in the High Court in Joburg granted President Cyril Ramaphosa an urgent interdict against former president Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution.
Zuma is appealing the ruling granted last year, which set aside his private prosecution of his successor – Ramaphosa.
Zuma wants Ramaphosa prosecuted as an accessory after the former president’s leaked medical documents.
After a brief sitting of the court on Thursday, Zuma, accompanied by his lawyer, advocate Dali Mpofu SC, was given a surprise birthday cake ahead of his 82nd birthday. Zuma then addressed the crowd of supporters, telling them that the law in South Africa has been favouring Ramaphosa.
Zuma, however, celebrated this week’s Electoral Court victory, where the court dismissed an objection by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and ruled that the former president will be allowed to be on the list of uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.
Zuma is number one on the list of candidates for the MK party to Parliament.
“It was argued that Zuma cannot be on the ballot, but I have never committed a crime. Another person has stolen money and hidden it under his mattress at home, the IEC says nothing about that person. They say nothing. They go for a person who has never stolen even a needle and that is Jacob Zuma,” Zuma told his supporters.
“Where does the IEC enter the realm of politics? Theirs is to just make us vote. That who is going to be the president of the nation, that is not their case. When they saw my name, they said Zuma cannot be on that list.
“To start with, I did not finish my two terms as president. I was removed. I did not resist. I resigned and left,” he said.
Zuma accuses Ramaphosa of failing to take action against arms deal prosecutor, advocate Billy Downer SC for the alleged leak of his medical records to veteran journalist Karyn Maughan. This related to a separate private prosecution that Zuma was pursuing in the Pietermaritzburg High Court in KwaZulu-Natal which was also dismissed.
IOL