Analyst: Zuma charges a critical test for Ramaphosa and NPA
One political commentator believes former President Jacob Zuma may finally have his day in court.
National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shaun Abrahams says he is ready to make an announcement in the coming days on whether or not Zuma will face corruption charges.
Abrahams is set to first inform Zuma and then South Africa.
If the charges are reinstated, he could face 18 charges for more than 700 counts of corruption, money laundering, fraud and racketeering.
The charges relate to Zuma's dealings with his former financial advisor Schabir Shaik, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2005.
Last year the Supreme Court found that former National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) head, Mokotedi Mpshe, erred when he decided to drop the corruption charges against Zuma in 2009.
Political analyst Daniel Silke says this is a critical test for president Cyril Ramaphosa's administration and the NPA.
"If Ramaphosa is indeed serious about the independence of institutions and depoliticizing institutions of state, in particular, the charges will need to go ahead simply to show there is no political interference in the NPA.
"It's also a critical test for Shaun Abrahams in perhaps a last-ditch effort to hold onto his job."
On Wednesday, the Constitutional Court dismissed an application to prevent Abrahams from announcing his decision.
"The parties will be informed, and then the NDPP will identify a date upon which he will announce his decision," said the NDPP's spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku.
The Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC) asked the court to interdict Abrahams pending the outcome of a court case to determine his future.
But the court dismissed the application due to a lack of urgency.