JOHANNESBURG – Former President Jacob Zuma’s private prosecution of State Advocate Billy Downer and News24 journalist Karyn Maughan returns to the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday.
Last September, Zuma served the two with summonses to appear in court for private prosecution.
He claimed they breached the National Prosecuting Authority act when the State “leaked” a doctor’s note which was filed with the court as part of Zuma’s corruption trial with Maughan.
Both Downer and Maughan launched applications to review and set aside the summonses they were served with.
Those applications were set down to be heard next month.
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Thursday’s proceedings were therefore expected to be brief and the case predicted to be postponed, pending the outcome thereof.
Zuma had since also launched a separate private prosecution against President Cyril Ramaphosa, whom he accused of being an accessory after the fact. Zuma accused Ramaphosa of failing to act on a complaint he lodged against Downer.
Last month, Ramaphosa secured an interdict halting the proceedings. This pending an application to have them declared unlawful.
That application is due to be heard in May.