Zuma the prosecutor will be 'on duty' to have his day in court

02 February 2023 - 06:19 By TANIA BROUGHTON
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Former president Jacob Zuma will be the private prosecutor in a matter against advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan. File photo.
Former president Jacob Zuma will be the private prosecutor in a matter against advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan. File photo.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

Former president Jacob Zuma will be in the Pietermaritzburg high court on Thursday — not as an accused, but as the private prosecutor in his case against advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan.

His foundation announced on Twitter he would be “on duty” and present in court when the pair make their second appearance on charges he laid against them for contravening the National Prosecuting Authority Act.

Zuma claims Downer leaked a confidential medical report to Maughan. However, the report was submitted to court by his lawyers in  an application for a postponement of his arms deal-related trial in which Downer is the lead prosecutor.

Downer and Maughan have lodged applications aimed at quashing the charges. These have been set down for hearing in March.

Because of this, the case against them cannot proceed on Thursday and will have to be adjourned to a future date.

Also outstanding is a ruling by judge Sidwell Mngadi on applications launched by the Helen Suzman Foundation, the Campaign for Free Expression, Media Monitoring Africa Trust and the South African National Editors' Forum, who want to intervene as amicus curiae (friends of the court) in Downer and Maughan’s litigation.

Zuma opposed these applications, accusing them of being “misguided busy-bodies and celebrity litigants”.

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