When former president Jacob Zuma showed up for his corruption trial at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday morning, it was quite the spectacle.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party entourage flanked the former statesman, with the majority of them dressed in party colours of green, black, and yellow.
A sizable number of presidential protectors were also present to provide protection to the MK Party leader.
Leading members of the MK party, including Floyd Shivambu, the former deputy president of the EFF, joined Zuma right away.
Shivambu is the national organiser for the ANC splinter group.
Engine of the party
The highly spirited Zuma could be seen in the court’s precinct chatting to Shivambu as the strong entourage made its way to the courtroom.
Shivambu was fully clothed in an MK party regalia, while Zuma was wearing a suit with a tie around his neck that matched the party colours.
Zuma has already hinted that Shivambu would serve as the engine of the party.
“This comrade, I’ve known from when he was very young in the ANC Youth League. That’s when I picked up that he is a real politician,” Zuma reminisced when Shivambu was named head of the party’s strategy and tactics last week.
Zuma further defined Shivambu as an honest politician. “He has politics, which I define as scientific politics.”
Nkosinathi Nhleko, the national chairperson of the MK Party, and other prominent figures also joined Zuma.
Nhleko is the former minister of police.
Soliciting bribes
Zuma is alleged to have used his former advisor Schabir Shaik to solicit bribes from French arms manufacturer Thales in 2005, which is when the arms deal controversy began.
The case was removed from the docket in 2006 because the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was not prepared to pursue the case.
However, it was brought back onto the docket a few years later.
The former head of state faces 18 charges of corruption, fraud, tax evasion, and racketeering.
Due to allegations that lead prosecutor Billy Downer had leaked Zuma’s medical records, Zuma sought Downer’s removal on the grounds of bias and unethical behaviour, which resulted in multiple delays in the trial.
The case was brought back before the judge on Thursday, and Zuma is still attempting to have Downer removed.
