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Durban — President Jacob Zuma was innocent until proven guilty in the spy tapes saga and remained ANC leader, the party in KwaZulu-Natal said yesterday.

The ANC respected the rule of law, but no charges had been brought against the president yet, ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma told reporters following a provincial executive meeting at the weekend.

“This is of course a national matter. But we maintain that President Zuma is our leader and we support him. He is the head of our organisation.”

The High Court in Pretoria ruled on Friday that former National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head Mokotedi Mpshe’s decision in April 2009 to drop corruption charges against Zuma was irrational and should be set aside.

The full bench of the court found Zuma should face the 783 charges of corruption. The charges relate to Zuma’s alleged involvement in the country’s multi-billion-rand arms deal.

Zuma’s former financial advisor Schabir Schaik was found guilty of fraud and corruption by the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in June 2005.

He tried to solicit a bribe for Zuma from a French arms company involved in the deal.

Mpshe based his decision on the so-called spy tapes — recorded conversations between then-Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy and former National Prosecuting Authority head Bulelani Ngcuka.

The two were recorded discussing the timing of bringing charges against Zuma. Mpshe felt this showed political interference in the case.

The NPA now had to decide if it wanted the prosecution to continue. — Sapa