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Jacob Zuma

Pretoria — The High Court in Pretoria is expected to rule today on the DA’s application to have the decision to drop corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma reviewed.

The party said in a tweet that judgment would be handed down at 1000hrs.

In 2009, former acting national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) Mokotedi Mpeshe dropped corruption charges against Zuma.

The decision was based on the contents of taped conversations (the so-called spy tapes) between Leonard McCarthy, then head of the Directorate Special Operations (the Scorpions), and former NDPP Bulelani Ngcuka.

They discussed whether to serve the indictment on Zuma before or after the ANC’s elective conference in Polokwane in December 2007.

At the Polokwane conference, Zuma defeated President Thabo Mbeki to become ANC leader. He was sworn in as president of the country in May 2009, shortly after the charges against him were dropped in April that year.

The charges against Zuma related to his role in the country’s multi-billion rand arms deal.

Meanwhile, Zuma had strong words for politicians who he said were abusing their rights and said they must be exposed.

Speaking during his Freedom Day address in Giyani, Limpopo, Zuma told thousands of his supporters that there were people who were “abusing their political rights”, eNCA reported.

He didn’t go into who he thought these politicians were but the broadcaster reported the president as saying these leaders must be exposed as politics is “not meant as an instrument to divide people”.

Zuma urged political leaders to humble themselves when they were no longer wanted in office.

“What’s important is that we should humble ourselves. If you were elected at one point and people no longer want you, humble yourself,” Zuma told thousands of people gathered at the Giyani Stadium in Limpopo for Freedom Day celebrations on Wednesday.

“Accept it so that change will come if people believe we need change now.” — AFP