Can fallen Zuma survive prosecution again?

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Former South African president Jacob Zuma is to appear in court on Friday accused of taking bribes from French arms maker Thales over a contract worth 4 billion euros (5 billion US dollars). Zuma, 75, who resigned in February, is no stranger to prosecutions, but can he escape jail this time?

“After consideration of the matter, I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of successful prosecution of Mr Zuma on the charges listed in the indictment,” chief state prosecutor Shaun Abrahams told a media conference last month.

Zuma has denied all the allegations against him.

What is Zuma being prosecuted for?

Zuma will face 16 charges relating to 783 instances of alleged wrongdoing, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku said.

June 25, 2017: The logo of French defense electronics giant Thales in Le Bourget during the International Paris Air Show. French arms manufacturer Thales will also face corruption charges alongside South Africa's ex-president Jacob Zuma when he appears in court, prosecutors said on March 16, 2018, reinstating charges dropped nearly a decade ago. /VCG Photo

Twelve are of fraud, one of racketeering, two of corruption and one of money laundering.

Zuma was deputy president at the time of the arms deal. Schabir Shaikh, his former financial adviser, was found guilty and jailed in 2005 for trying to solicit bribes for Zuma from a French arms company.

Supporters and opponents

Police will be deployed to monitor the night vigil by Zuma's supporters on Thursday and march to the court on Friday, according to KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbhele.

Delangokubona Business Forum national chair Thabani Mzulwini said the forum would “support him because of his theory that the economy of the country must be returned to black people."

Mkhonto We Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) president Kebby Maphatsoe said on Wednesday he will be in Durban on Friday to support the former president who is “innocent until proven otherwise”.

March 16, 2018: South Africa's National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams announces that Jacob Zuma will be prosecuted on corruption charges that were previously dropped. /VCG Photo

The South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Blade Nzimande says the SACP has taken a stronger stand, saying “it was time that Zuma faced his day in court to answer for the charges of corruption, racketeering and money laundering.”

"Allegations are allegations. We are not protecting or defending anyone," said Ace Magashule, secretary general of the governing African National Congress (ANC).

Corruption in South Africa

The 2018 edition of the South Africa Survey‚ published by the South African Institute of Race Relations (IRR)‚ shows that South Africa’s ranking on the Corruption Perceptions Index dropped from 21 to 64 between 1995 and 2016.

During the same period‚ the country’s score fell from 5.6 to 4.5 (a score of 10 means highly clean while 0 means highly corrupt). The Corruption Perceptions Index is compiled by Berlin-based Transparency International and reflects the perception of corruption among resident and non-resident business people and analysts.

Vera Songwe, executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, said during an interview with African Business Magazine that the African Union (AU) had picked anti-corruption as the big pillar of its agenda for 2018.

“Africa has lost 148 billion dollars on corruption, which is about 25 percent of Africa's annual GDP,” she also said at the 32nd ordinary session of the AU executive council.

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa (L) speaks to journalists outside the home of the late Winnie Mandela, April 2, 2018, in Orlando, Soweto. /VCG Photo

Cyril Ramaphosa vowed to crack down on corruption and revitalize the South African economy as he was sworn in to replace Jacob Zuma as the country’s president in February.

Ramaphosa takes aim at corruption and economic decline

"Issues that have to do with corruption, issues of how we can straighten out our state-owned enterprises and how we deal with state capture are issues that are on our radar screen," Cyril Ramaphosa said in brief remarks to parliament on Feb.15.

“The arms deal wasn’t just about small bribes, it launched the bullet and we watched that bullet in slow-motion ripping through South African democracy in the last 15 years,” said Hennie van Vuuren of the Open Secrets anti-graft association.