Why South African courts are losing patience with former President Jacob Zuma
South Africa’s courts delivered a series of stinging decisions against former President Jacob Zuma earlier this week, indicating a growing judicial frustration with his years-long pattern of appeals, delays and legal manoeuvres.
Zuma suffered three major setbacks in a single day. First, the High Court in Pretoria dismissed his bid to appeal an earlier ruling ordering him to personally repay R28.9 million (approx. $1.56 million) in public funds used for his private legal bills. Judge Anthony Millar, refusing to grant leave to appeal, said the courts “cannot remain open indefinitely” to a litigant who refuses to accept rulings.
Judge Millar warned that Zuma’s repeated attempts to relitigate settled issues undermined the principle of equal justice. “It is destructive of the notion that all are equal before the law,” he said. Zuma has 60 days to repay the amount or risk having his presidential pension attached.
At almost the same time in Pietermaritzburg, Zuma appeared before the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in his long-running corruption case linked to the 1999 arms deal. He and French arms company Thales are seeking to have the charges struck off. Zuma’s lawyer, Advocate Dali Mpofu, argued that trial delays and the deaths of key witnesses had prejudiced his client, insisting that “they cannot be resurrected.”
The state, however, accused Zuma of once again using “Stalingrad” tactics, delaying the case through endless applications rather than confronting the charges.
Zuma also filed a recusal application related to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission inquiry, adding to the day’s legal battles.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
