Palapye.com News Blog

source: IOL
May 15 2008 at 05:56PM

By Paul Simao

The corruption case of Jacob Zuma, leader of South Africa’s ruling party, will not begin on August 4 as previously scheduled, one of his defence lawyers said on Thursday.

Delaying Zuma’s trial will increase the likelihood of it overlapping with a 2009 general election, heightening political instability in Africa’s economic powerhouse. Zuma, head of the African National Congress (ANC), is the frontrunner to succeed President Thabo Mbeki.

“The perception was that on the fourth of August, Mr. Zuma’s trial would commence. That clearly is not going to be the case,” Michael Hulley said after lawyers for the ANC leader met prosecutors and a senior judge to discuss a start date.

Hulley said there were “other matters” that needed to be dealt with before Zuma could go on trial for fraud, bribery, money-laundering and other charges connected to [continue reading]