The private prosecution initiated by former President Jacob Zuma against President Cyril Ramaphosa has encountered a postponement that extends until the conclusion of this year.
Last December, just ahead of the African National Congress (ANC)’s national elective conference, Zuma embarked on a legal maneuver by commencing a private prosecution against Ramaphosa. His allegations rested on the assertion that Ramaphosa played a role as an accessory, post-incident, in the violations of the NPA Act. Zuma had simultaneously pointed fingers at State Advocate Billy Downer in a separate private prosecution.
Central to Zuma’s claim was Ramaphosa’s purported failure to respond to a complaint against Downer, according to Zuma’s narrative.
During a brief session at the Joburg High Court on Tuesday, the case involving Zuma’s private prosecution of Ramaphosa was heard.
Subsequent developments saw the courts reviewing and setting aside Zuma’s private prosecution of Ramaphosa. Nonetheless, the former president is striving to challenge this ruling by filing an appeal. The application for leave to appeal is scheduled for consideration on Wednesday.
In the interim, the timeline for the private prosecution proceedings has been deferred to the date of December 4th.
In a separate legal context, Ramaphosa obtained an interdict in January that effectively halted the private prosecution efforts, exempting him from appearing in court until the conclusive determination of his case review. The most recent postponement took place in Ramaphosa’s absence.
In the courtroom, Zuma was present, accompanied by his daughter, Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, marking a significant moment in the ongoing legal saga.