abraxas
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By Irene Kuppan, Mpume Madlala and Nondumiso Mbuyazi
It took less than five minutes for the state to withdraw charges against African National Congress President Jacob Zuma in the Durban High Court on Tuesday morning.
Zuma and his daughter Duduzile were rushed into court by his bodyguards, where high-profile ANC members were waiting.
Duduzile smiled and waved at her father as she recorded him on a camera she had brought into court.
Appearing before KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Vuka Tshabalala, state prosecutor Anton Steynburg said that, in accordance with the decision of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), he had been instructed to withdraw charges against the accused - Zuma and the French arms manufacturer, Thint.
Representatives of Thint were not present.
Judge Tshabalala lent some humour to proceedings when he joked that Zuma's legal representative, Kemp J Kemp, would have no objection to this.
Kemp's response was: "No, my lord".
Tshabalala then withdrew charges against all the accused.
"There has been a lot of publicity in this matter, the whole country knows what prompted the NPA to withdraw charges and it is not for me to say anything about it."
Tshabalala said the NPA decided to withdraw the charges after having complied with the Constitution and that was the end of the matter.
Normally when charges were withdrawn they could be reinstated but in this case that was unlikely to happen, he said.
The courtroom was packed with Zuma supporters including SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande, Cosatu's Provincial secretary Zet Luzipho, Provincial Health MEC Peggy Nkonyeni, Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe and Pietermaritzburg mayor Zanele Hlatshwayo. Premier Sbu Ndebele and Cosatu Secretary-General Zwelinzima Vavi were amongst the first of the ANC bigwigs to arrive at court on Tuesday morning.
It took less than five minutes for the state to withdraw charges against African National Congress President Jacob Zuma in the Durban High Court on Tuesday morning.
Zuma and his daughter Duduzile were rushed into court by his bodyguards, where high-profile ANC members were waiting.
Duduzile smiled and waved at her father as she recorded him on a camera she had brought into court.
Appearing before KwaZulu-Natal Judge President Vuka Tshabalala, state prosecutor Anton Steynburg said that, in accordance with the decision of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), he had been instructed to withdraw charges against the accused - Zuma and the French arms manufacturer, Thint.
Representatives of Thint were not present.
Judge Tshabalala lent some humour to proceedings when he joked that Zuma's legal representative, Kemp J Kemp, would have no objection to this.
Kemp's response was: "No, my lord".
Tshabalala then withdrew charges against all the accused.
"There has been a lot of publicity in this matter, the whole country knows what prompted the NPA to withdraw charges and it is not for me to say anything about it."
Tshabalala said the NPA decided to withdraw the charges after having complied with the Constitution and that was the end of the matter.
Normally when charges were withdrawn they could be reinstated but in this case that was unlikely to happen, he said.
The courtroom was packed with Zuma supporters including SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande, Cosatu's Provincial secretary Zet Luzipho, Provincial Health MEC Peggy Nkonyeni, Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe and Pietermaritzburg mayor Zanele Hlatshwayo. Premier Sbu Ndebele and Cosatu Secretary-General Zwelinzima Vavi were amongst the first of the ANC bigwigs to arrive at court on Tuesday morning.
