Experts expect that National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shaun Abrahams will decide to go ahead with the prosecution of former president Jacob Zuma. Abrahams' announcement on the issue is scheduled for Friday afternoon.
Abrahams was given the go-ahead to make the announcement this week after the Constitutional Court dismissed an application by the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (Casac) to delay Abrahams' announcement, according to the Mail & Guardian. This was because if Zuma makes the decision, there will be a "reasonable perception that his decision was biased," Casac reportedly argued.
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Business Day reported on Thursday that Abrahams is coming under increasing pressure to announce his decision, after he said this week that his decision had been made, but he had to inform Zuma of this before it can be made public.
Zuma's lawyer Michael Hulley did not respond to requests for comment from Business Day on whether or not he had heard from Abrahams.
The DA has also asked Abrahams to be informed of his decision as it is also a party to the case which brought back the charges against Zuma.
DA Federal Executive chair told Business Day that it was in the interests of justice for Abrahams to make his announcement soon, "bearing in mind that things had dragged on for 10 years".
The EFF reportedly said Abrahams should make the announcement and then resign to restore confidence in the NPA. The EFF's Mbuyiseni Ndlozi told Business Day that this was because the high court in Pretoria had set aside his appointment.
Casac reportedly believes that the NPA will prosecute Zuma. But if it does not, a new NPA head could still decide to do so, the organisation told Eyewitness News (EWN).
Since his former financial adviser Schabir Shaik has already been prosecuted successfully, based on the same case, there is a good chance of Zuma being successfully prosecuted, director for the Centre of Constitutional Rights, Phephelaphi Dube told Times Select.
However, he cautioned that some evidence may no longer be available because the matter is old.
"The NPA itself would have reviewed all of this and they would have taken all of this under consideration – if they do decide to go ahead with the prosecution, it obviously means that the NPA thinks they have a strong case against the former president. That on its own is a very good indicator of the likelihood of Jacob Zuma being found guilty.
"There are very few reasons that would justify a decision not to prosecute," he reportedly said.
Times Select asked Shaik if he would be a witness against Zuma should the trial go ahead, to which he replied, "No comment."
Afriforum has promised to take up the matter if the NPA decides not to pursue the prosecution against Zuma, according to Business Day.