The Pietermaritzburg High Court will hear former president Jacob Zuma’s matter virtually and e-proceedings can be followed on YouTube.
THE PIETERMARITZBURG High Court will hear former President Jacob Zuma’s matter virtually and e-proceedings can be followed on YouTube.
In a statement issued by Judiciary spokesperson Nathi Mncube on Monday afternoon, the media was advised that the matter will not be heard in person.
The legal teams will access the proceedings via Zoom, however, the media and members of the public will be able to follow the case on YouTube “so as to minimise distractions on the virtual hearing”.
Zuma made a last-minute attempt at halting his looming arrest when he made two court applications days before he was due to hand himself over to the authorities.
He made an application to the Constitutional Court to rescind and reconsider its decision to send him to prison for 15 months.
The ConCourt agreed to hear Zuma’s application on July 12.
But, in an effort to cover his bases, Zuma simultaneously launched an application asking the Pietermaritzburg High Court to interdict the police from arresting him until the ConcCourt has heard his fresh application. He said it was in the interest of justice that his case is heard.
In his founding affidavit, Zuma said if he was jailed “even for one day” and it turned out that the rescission application was granted, then he would not be able to recover from the damage done to his health, dignity, reputation and personal freedom.
Among the other respondents cited by Zuma in this new case is President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the minister of Correctional Services, who has since been instructed to prepare him a jail cell at Westville Prison in Durban, and police commissioner General Khehla Sitole.
While Ramaphosa, Cele and Sitole have not opposed the matter, the Zondo Commission filed its opposing papers this weekend.
In brief, the Commission said the high court did not have jurisdiction to decide on such a matter as the instruction came from a higher court.
The matter is expected to be heard at 11.30am on Tuesday morning.
