Trial date set for Zuma

The arrangement was agreed between the NPA, Zuma\'s defence and the Judge President of KwaZulu-Natal. ‘As the NPA we are very pleased with this as it offers us what we wanted all the time – which is enough time to prepare for this case,’ said NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi. The indictment against Zuma is expected to be served on November 2, and he will return to the Durban Magistrates’ Court on November 12 for a brief appearance. According to The Witness, Zuma\'s attorney Michael Hulley said he was ‘perfectly happy’ with the trial date, ‘given the time constraints and nature of the (court) roll’. Full report on News24 site Full report in The Witness

A senior member of the defence team has downplayed speculation that the NPA would bring ‘new’ charges against Zuma on November 2. ‘I would be willing to bet that the indictment presented on November 2 will be a mirror image of the one brought against Schabir Shaik,’ he said according to a report in The Star. Shaik, Zuma\'s former financial adviser, was found guilty on two counts of corruption. These related to Shaik having made a series of payments to Zuma totalling R1.2m. One charge brought against Shaik related specifically to a payment that became evident from an encrypted fax sent to French arms dealer Thales/Thint, which related to Shaik buying Zuma\'s help and influence in the arms deal. It was found by the court, said the lawyer, that Shaik gave Zuma money in return for benefits. ‘Now the state will try to show that Zuma took money from Shaik in exchange for that benefit. A mirror image.’ Full report in The Star

A total of R12m is needed to get the best defence for Zuma, says a report in The Mercury. It says Zuma has already fielded a high-powered defence team, including Kessie Naidu and Kemp J Kemp. However, leading KZN businessman Don Mkhwanazi told the paper yesterday that there was a need to ‘beef up the legal team by roping in more advocates.’ Mkhwanazi said the Friends of Jacob Zuma Trust, which is charged with raising funds for Zuma’s defence, would need to raise R12m for the ‘war chest’. Full report in The Mercury