LIVE: Jacob Zuma, Thales in dock on corruption charges

Former South African President Jacob Zuma in the High Court in Pietermaritzburg. Picture: Leon Lestrade/African News Agency/ANA

Former South African President Jacob Zuma in the High Court in Pietermaritzburg. Picture: Leon Lestrade/African News Agency/ANA

Published Oct 15, 2019

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Durban- It is unlikely that there will be fireworks at Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday where former president Jacob Zuma is expected to appear on charges of corruption, fraud and racketeering charges, a leading analysts has foreshadowed.

Thabani Khumalo, a political analyst, said he doubted there would be any new revelations from the case. 

Khumalo said looking at previous experience from the Judge Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture where he appeared, people did not expect much from him. 

It would be a similar case on Tuesday he said. 

It was also unlikely that he would accuse ANC colleagues of anything during the trial as it would open him up to slew of lawsuits he said. 

Khumalo referred to the recent court case loss to former tourism Derek Hanekom.

“Discrediting his friends made him pay a heavy price,” he said. 

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What Zuma was supposed to do was to go to court and answer specific questions, Khumalo said. 

The outcome of the trial could have a big impact on the dynamics of the ANC, he said. 

It had to be noted that although it seemed he might be on the ropes, Zuma still had a huge support base within the ANC and some of the supporters within the ANC were die-hards.

The phenomenon of die-hard supporters who love a leader more than the party was something that former ANC leader Nelson Mandela warned against more than two decades ago.

Khumalo said in 1994, Mandela had warned there were people who joined the party because they followed a particular leader and not because they were attracted to the ANC and its values.

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