In this file photo taken on July 04, 2021 Former South African president Jacob Zuma addresses the media in his home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. Emmanuel Croset / AFPThe much-postponed corruption trial of South Africa’s ex-president Jacob Zuma ran into fresh legal delays and health problems on Monday as he launched a new procedural battle on the eve of his 80th birthday.
“There was a medical emergency which took place in the past few hours,” his lawyer Dali Mpofu announced in court, giving no further details.Zuma’s defence asked the High Court to postpone the case to let him exhaust his options of appeal in a complaint against the lead prosecutor, Billy Downer. Downer argued in court on Monday that the application for another postponement was another “delaying tactic.”
Last year he was given a 15-month jail term for contempt of court after refusing to testify before a panel probing financial sleaze and cronyism under his presidency.