By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former president Jacob Zuma will leave Estcourt prison next Tuesday to attend court in Pietermaritzburg over four days, and family members, political leaders and supporters are likely to gather outside to show their support.
Judge Piet Koen has told Zuma and the state the matter will proceed in open court on Tuesday. This follows a two-page submission from Zuma, filed on Monday, telling the court his constitutional rights would be prejudiced if his criminal trial were to proceed online.
In a court order dated 4 August, Koen said the hearing will be conducted “in open court at the High Court in Pietermaritzburg”.
“The currently applicable Disaster Management (Covid-19) regulations, particularly those regarding the wearing of face masks, maintaining social distance and the restrictions on the numbers of attendees at indoor venues, must at all times be adhered to strictly,”he said.
The National Prosecuting Authority was adamant that the hearing could go ahead virtually because no evidence was expected to be led.
“A virtual hearing of oral argument of the special plea on 10 August is possible and will be satisfactory in every respect. The parties and their legal representatives and the public (through the broadcasting of the live feed) will be able to observe the proceedings,” the NPA argued.
Indications are that security services will be preparing for crowds to attend the Zuma hearing, as the NPA indicated in its court papers.
The court has set aside three days to hear Zuma’s special plea in which he wants Billy Downer to be removed as prosecutor.
Zuma’s team argues that the prosecutor should be removed from the case due to political influence in the prosecution dating back to the origins of the case more than a decade ago.