Former president Jacob Zuma will go on trial on fraud, racketeering, corruption and money laundering charges, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) boss Shaun Abrahams announced on Friday.
In a media briefing, Abrahams said he considered representations from Zuma, via his legal team, but rejected the former president's submission which contained allegations of prosecutorial misconduct and "inexplicable delays".
"After consideration of the matter, I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects to successfully prosecute Mr Zuma on charges listed in the indictment."
"I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution of Zuma in the charges listed in the indictment," Abrahams said.
Zuma faces 18 charges‚ involving 783 incidents‚ of racketeering‚ corruption‚ money laundering and fraud.
The charges relate to a R30 billion government arms deal in the late 1990s. Zuma, who was then deputy president, was linked to the deal through Schabir Shaik, his former financial adviser who was jailed for corruption, but was later released on medical parole.
Shaik’s conviction almost torpedoed Zuma’s bid for president but the charges against him were dropped on a technicality in 2009.
The high court reinstated the charges in 2016 and the Supreme Court upheld that decision last year, rejecting an appeal by Zuma and describing the NPA’s initial decision to set aside the charges as “irrational“.