Zuma prosecution: It's about time

“At last the axe has eventually fallen,” says Ben Theron, OUTA’s Chief Operating Officer.

“Jacob Zuma's day in court has been long overdue and, while we applaud Shaun Abrahams for eventually taking the obvious decision, we believe he is largely to blame for the unnecessary delay in getting this matter to where it is today. Nonetheless, South Africans have a very good reason to be happy our criminal justice system is working in favour of the people, reminding us and those in authority that no-one is above the law.

"It appeared to many that Jacob Zuma was above the law for a very long time; however, we were always confident that, in time, the barriers that kept him out of court and possibly jail would eventually be removed. That day has now arrived."

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) looks forward to an independent, robust prosecution taking place under a new National Director of Public Prosecutions. Zuma must be held accountable.

“These charges were laid before Zuma was President, thus he must pay for his defence out of his own pocket,” says Theron.

NDPP Abrahams announced that Zuma would face prosecution on 16 charges: one count of racketeering, two of corruption, one of money laundering and 12 counts of fraud. This indictment was initially served on him in 2007.