The long-running arms deal case involving former President Jacob Zuma and French defence company Thales Group is finally set to move forward after more than 20 years of legal delays.
Zuma was indicted on fraud and corruption charges in 2005, alongside Thales then known as Thint in connection with allegations linked to South Africa’s multi-billion rand arms procurement programme.
The case has faced repeated postponements over the past two decades, becoming one of the country’s most protracted legal battles.
On Thursday, the High Court of South Africa, Pietermaritzburg ruled that the trial must proceed without further delay, paving the way for the matter to finally return to court.
Trial dates are expected to be confirmed in due course, bringing renewed focus to a case that has remained a fixture in South Africa’s political and legal landscape for more than two decades.