Zuma trial date to be set today

Zuma’s attorney, Michael Hulley, is quoted in a report on the IoL site as saying: ‘I\'m confident that by the end of the day we would have settled on a date,’ adding that it was ‘no secret that we\'re aiming for May or June next year’. Earlier, Zuma made a second appearance on two corruption charges. The State represented by Senior Prosecutor Billy Downer and Zuma represented by Advocate Kessie Naidu agreed that the case be adjourned till Saturday, November 12. This was to allow the State to serve an indictment on Zuma, to set a trial date and enable further investigation. Downer said they had chosen to have their next hearing on a Saturday to prevent further disruptions, but the State’s agreement to serve an indictment by November 2 was seen as victory for Zuma’s side. Full report on the IoL site

Earlier, Advocate Naidu told the court Zuma’s case could not be transferred to the High Court without an indictment. ‘There are no charges pending in the High Court,’ said Naidu. Downer said the State had the right to serve an indictment on Zuma 10 days before the start of a trial, which he believed would only get under way during the course of 2006. After the proceedings Hulley said: ‘The main opposition from our side is that if we had to consent to the application it would have been an irregular step.’ According to a report on the IoL site, he said the ‘empowering document’ in the Magistrates’ Court was the charge sheet and in the High Court it was an indictment. ‘In our view if the matter is taken out of the Magistrates’ Court without an indictment we would ask for the accused’s bail money to be refunded because there would be no charges against him.’ Zuma faces two charges of contravening the Corruption Act, brought after the conviction and sentencing of his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik on fraud and corruption charges. A report on the Mail & Guardian Online site says several high profile people were at court, including Cosatu Secretary-General Zwelinzima Vavi, KwaZulu-Natal premier S\'bu Ndebele, ANC head of publicity, Smuts Ngonyama, ANC Secretary-General Kgalema Motlanthe, former ANC Chief Whip Tony Yengeni, Mo Shaik and KwaZulu-Natal Economic Affairs MEC Zweli Mkhize. Full report on Mail & Guardian Online site

The postponement has deepened the suspicion that his trial is of a political nature, said the SA Communist Party. Spokesperson Kaizer Mohau claimed the trial was unnecessarily delayed so that the National Prosecuting Authority could go on a further fishing expedition of evidence to find Zuma guilty. ‘The SACP is appalled by a continued miscarriage of justice by the NPA,’ said Mohau in a report on the News24 site. ‘Under these conditions, we do not think a fair trial is possible.’ Full report on the News24 site

Zuma promised to reveal the reasons for his implication in corruption after his court battle. He told more than 1 000 supporters outside the court that he was humbled by their presence. An IoL report says many had participated in an all-night vigil in his support on Monday night. He had never imagined that after 10 years of democracy he would face charges for crimes he had never committed, Zuma told them. Full report on the IoL site