A confident Jacob Zuma walked into the Pietermaritzburg high court on Thursday with an entourage that included new recruit Floyd Shivambu, for a pretrial hearing of the arms deal corruption case involving French arms company Thales.
The MK party’s newly appointed national organiser Shivambu, former minister Nkosinathi Nhleko, former Msunduzi municipality deputy mayor Thobani Zuma, and former head of the KwaZulu-Natal department of transport Kwazi Mbanjwa bolstered support for their president.
Zuma and Thales are facing charges of racketeering, corruption, money laundering and fraud relating to the arms deal.
The leader of the MK party is accused of receiving about R4m via his former financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, to assist Thales to secure defence contracts. Shaik was convicted in 2005 but was released on medical parole in 2009.
The state plans to start the trial in April and conclude it by September.
The case was previously adjourned in May because Zuma had not consulted with his legal team.
Outside court, MK party members set up a stage where Zuma is expected to address supporters under the watchful eye of a large contingent of police and security.
TimesLIVE
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