Zuma draws KPMG into spy tapes saga

The Presidency has described the Supreme Court of Appeal's decision as "disappointing" while at the same time admitting it was not unexpected.

The court has dismissed an appeal by the president and the National Prosecuting Authority in the spy tapes saga.

Zuma's lawyer Michael Hulley says a lot has happened over the past nine years and that the president could make more representations to the NPA.

These could include "the comments that have been made around the auditing company [KPMG] that was charged with the responsibility of drawing up the audit report".

KPMG has recently admitted to serious shortcomings, both in its work for the controversial Gupta family's companies as well as its investigation into an investigative unit at SARS.

KPMG was also responsible for a 2006 audit, which contained serious allegations against Zuma, including that he received payments ordered by his former financial advisor Schabir Shaik.

But Hulley says the firm itself is not the only matter of interest.

The lead partner on the SARS investigation, Johan van der Walt, was also involved in the audits implicating Zuma and Shaik.

"Importantly, it means that the representations have not been considered and the expectation is that the NDPP will now consider these representations under the correct prescripts of the law and make a legitimate decision relating thereto," the Presidency says in a statement.

Zuma and the NPA were seeking to appeal a High Court in Pretoria ruling that the 2009 decision to drop the charges against the president was irrational.

Justice Eric Leach has also ordered the NPA and Zuma to pay the costs of the application.