SCA dismisses Zuma’s spy tapes appeal with costs

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein has dismissed the appeal by President Jacob Zuma and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the spy tapes saga.

Justice Eric Leach granted Zuma and the NPA’s leave to appeal, but the appeal was dismissed with costs.

This means the NPA should immediately reinstate charges of fraud and corruption against Zuma.

Zuma and the NPA asked for leave to appeal a judgment of the Gauteng North High Court last year, which ruled in favour of the Democratic Alliance (DA), setting aside the 2009 decision by the NPA’s former director of public prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe to discontinue the corruption case against Zuma on the basis of irrationality.

Shortly before the 2009 polls, after Zuma had won the contest for the leadership of the ruling African National Congress, Mpshe withdrew 783 charges linked to the multibillion rand 1999 arms deal.

Since then, the DA has challenged the matter in court. In April last year, the North Gauteng High Court ordered that Zuma must face all the charges.

Justice Leach said the high court ruling could not be “faulted” and its order that the NPA should reinstate corruption charges against Zuma stands.

– Additional reporting African News Agency