Zuma abandons latest appeals as arms deal trial set for 2027

Former president Jacob Zuma and French defence company Thales are facing a renewed path towards trial in the long-running arms deal case after neither pursued further appeals against a court ruling that allows the criminal proceedings to go ahead.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) says the order setting the trial down for 1 February 2027 is now final, following the failure by both parties to challenge Judge Nkosinathi Chili’s judgment of 14 May 2026.

NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told News24 that neither Zuma nor Thales had filed an application for leave to appeal against the judgment.

“In the result, the trial court’s order that the trial will commence on 1 February 2027 is now final. The State is ready to proceed,” Kganyago said.

The development brings the latest round of legal challenges to a close, although the underlying criminal case still has to be heard.

Court rejects further delays

In his May ruling, Judge Chili rejected arguments that outstanding legal challenges should prevent the criminal trial from proceeding.

The judgment addressed a case that has been delayed for years by a succession of legal disputes. The judge found that continued litigation could no longer justify postponing the proceedings.

The prosecution has repeatedly maintained that the matter has been ready for trial, while Zuma and Thales have challenged various aspects of the case.

Both have pleaded not guilty to charges that include corruption, fraud, racketeering and money laundering.

The long-running arms deal case

The prosecution stems from South Africa’s controversial multibillion-rand arms procurement deal concluded in the late 1990s.

The state alleges that Zuma received corrupt payments linked to his relationship with his former financial adviser, Schabir Shaik. Prosecutors allege that Shaik used his political influence to advance his business interests.

The allegations have not yet been tested in a completed criminal trial, and Zuma and Thales remain entitled to defend themselves against the charges.

The case has passed through numerous legal battles since charges against Zuma and Thales were withdrawn in 2009. Those charges were reinstated in 2018 after the decision to discontinue the prosecution was successfully challenged.

Billy Downer’s ‘Stalingrad strategy’ allegations

Lead prosecutor Billy Downer has previously accused Zuma of using a strategy of repeated legal challenges to delay the criminal proceedings. The approach has often been described as a “Stalingrad strategy”.

In court papers, Downer argued that Zuma repeatedly launched new challenges after previous applications failed, then pursued further appeals before initiating fresh litigation.

Downer said the pattern contradicted Zuma’s public statements that he wanted an opportunity to have his day in court.

These are the prosecution’s characterisations of Zuma’s conduct, rather than findings that determine his guilt on the underlying charges.

Repeated attempts to remove the prosecutor

Several of Zuma’s legal challenges have focused on Downer, whom he has sought to remove from the prosecution.

Downer argued in previous submissions that Zuma’s latest attempt to challenge his role as prosecutor was legally defective. He maintained that the refusal to remove him could only be appealed after a conviction and sentence, if those outcomes were ever reached.

Zuma also pursued a private prosecution against Downer and journalist Karen Maughan over the alleged unlawful sharing of court documents. That effort was among the separate legal disputes surrounding the case.

Zuma’s objections to the ruling

Following Judge Chili’s judgment, the Jacob Zuma Foundation criticised the decision, arguing that the court had misdirected itself on the facts and the law.

Foundation spokesperson Mzwanele Manyi said Zuma’s constitutional rights as an accused person had been undermined and maintained that there were grounds for a higher court to overturn the ruling.

However, neither Zuma nor Thales proceeded with a further appeal against the May judgment.

Trial now scheduled for February 2027

With the latest appeal deadline having passed without either party filing an application, the court order setting the trial date remains in force.

The state says it is ready to proceed, with the criminal trial scheduled to begin on 1 February 2027.

The case will bring long-standing allegations linked to the arms deal before the criminal court. Its eventual outcome will determine whether the prosecution can prove its case against Zuma and Thales.

For now, the end of the latest legal challenge marks a significant procedural development in a case that has remained unresolved for more than two decades.

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Source: The Citizen