Big week in two courts for Zuma

The fate of President Jacob Zuma will be the subject of two separate and significant court cases this week, says a Business Day report. Tomorrow and Wednesday, the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) will hear the DA’s application for Zuma to implement the recommendation of former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela that he establish a judicial commission of inquiry into state capture under a judge appointed by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng. While Zuma has stated repeatedly that he intends to establish a commission of inquiry, nothing has come of this so far and he will oppose the DA’s application. Zuma has taken the State of Capture report on review – this case will be heard in October – but the DA contends that this does not exonerate him from the legal obligation to implement the recommendations of the report. The case before the Supreme Court of Appeal on Thursday and Friday will be the culmination of an eight-and-a-half-year battle by the DA to get Zuma to face the 783 charges of corruption that the National Prosecuting Authority decided to drop in 2009. The court will hear the petition by Zuma and the NPA for leave to appeal against the unanimous judgment by the full Bench of the High Court that the charges were withdrawn irrationally and must be reinstated. If the leave to appeal is granted, the appeal will be heard immediately.