After years of snubbing invites to the State of the Nation Address (SONA), Jacob Zuma will make an appearance alongside Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party Members of Parliament (MPs) on Thursday evening.
Umkhonto Wesizwe national spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, confirmed to that Zuma would attend.
He added that 50 of the party’s MPs will also be in attendance.
It will be Zuma’s first appearance after his resignation as president in 2018.
But first, court
Hours before his flight to Cape Town, Zuma is set to appear in court for his bid to privately prosecute sitting president, Cyril Ramaphosa.
This stems from a matter in 2022 where Zuma accused Ramaphosa of being an accessory after the fact after his medical records were allegedly leaked.
In 2024, the Gauteng High Court postponed Zuma’s bid to Thursday where he was due to supply details of his appeal process to the court.
On Monday this week, the Constitutional Court declined Zuma’s request for condonation for his late application.
He is expected to provide the court with an update on Thursday.
Thales wants matter dropped
Meanwhile, French arms company, Thales has filed an application to halt the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA’s) corruption and racketeering case, citing the death of two witnesses.
Thales is arguing that the trial would be unfair.
The NPA confirmed that it has received Thales’s application.
“The National Prosecuting Authority confirms being served with an application by second accused Thales in the corruption case of former President Jacob Zuma. The NPA will vigorously argue in opposition of the application as we believe it has no merit and stands to be dismissed,” NPA national spokesperson, Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga, said.
previously reported that Zuma faces charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering relating to the controversial arms deal involving Thales.
It is alleged that Thales paid a bribe to Zuma via a company known as Nkobi Holdings, linked to convicted Durban businessman, Schabir Shaik. Shaik was sentenced for his role however he was released on medical parole in 2009.
