High Court orders Zuma to pay nearly R29m in State-funded legal fees

Former President Jacob Zuma has been ordered to repay nearly R29 million in legal fees that were unlawfully funded by the State.

The Pretoria High Court has on Wednesday handed down the ruling, confirming the money was used to cover Zuma’s personal legal costs in criminal and related proceedings.

The judgment follows years of litigation, with both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) pushing for accountability.

The Pretoria High Court has found the legal payments violated principles of public accountability and the rule of law.

Jacob Zuma now has 60 days to settle the debt.

If he fails to do so, the State Attorney has been instructed to begin asset attachment proceedings, which may include his presidential pension, though subject to further judicial oversight.

Interest on the debt will accrue from October 2021, and the State Attorney must report to the court every three months on efforts to recover the funds.

Zuma’s legal team has argued he was not personally liable, but the court has dismissed those claims, stating the repayment order clearly applies to him.

'BIG WIN FOR SOUTH AFRICANS' - DA

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has described a court ruling compelling Zuma to pay up as a victory for taxpayers.

The amount relates to Zuma’s legal fees during the long-running arms deal corruption case.

Between 2005 and 2019, the State covered Zuma’s legal costs for his personal corruption matter, which dates back to his tenure as deputy president.

The DA’s spokesperson Willie Aucamp explained: “This is a big win for all South Africans. It shows you that no one is above the law and that you will not get away with wasting the government’s money. The DA will not allow that.”

Additional reporting by EWN's Alpha Ramushwana