Jacob Zuma
Photo by: Duane Daws
President Jacob Zuma has maintained that the decision taken by National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Mokotedi Mpshe in 2009 to withdraw corruption charges against him was rational.
"The President has always contended that the court proceedings are an abuse of process by a political party in order to advance a political agenda," the presidency said in a statement on Monday night, the eve of the Democratic Alliance's (DA's) application to have the 2009 decision reversed.
"Through his submissions to the High Court, President Zuma will maintain that the decision of the NDPP was rationally derived at, as evidenced by the reasons advanced and accordingly, will withstand any scrutiny."
The High Court in Pretoria is expected to hear the DA's application on Tuesday for a review of the decision to drop the charges.
Abuse of power
Submissions to the court by Zuma's legal team insist the president was a victim of a political conspiracy and abuse of power.
On April 6 2009, explaining the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA's) decision to drop charges against Zuma, Mpshe cited the so-called "spy tapes".
They are recordings of telephone conversations between then Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy and former NPA head Bulelani Ngcuka, and apparently show political interference in the decision to charge Zuma.
The charges were withdrawn the next day, on 7 April 2009, in the Durban High Court. This paved the way for Zuma to become president after the 22 April elections.
The DA then started its lengthy campaign to get more information on why this happened.