Zuma arrives at court
2006-09-06 10:05
Pietermaritzburg - Excited cleaners at the Pietermaritzburg High Court temporarily dropped their brooms to greet former deputy president Jacob Zuma as he arrived to hear further argument in his trial on Wednesday.
They ululated and sang in their green uniforms as his security detail whisked him into the court building through a back entrance.
Zuma politely put his hands together and said a friendly "Sanibonani" (hello everyone) to the reporters and photographers who had flocked towards him in his black pin-striped suit.
Groups of supporters and spectators were beginning to arrive at Freedom Square outside the court, which, to the irritation of some city workers, has been cordoned off.
"There is no activity, why can't you let us pass through?" an angry man shouted at marshals.
Another, Mandla Mbanjwa, said it was unacceptable to have roads closed to taxpayers.
"I am late for work, this is very disturbing. It is taking us a lot of time to get to work."
Asked if he was going to attend the trial, a passing pupil said: "I would love to but my matric is very important."
But Johann Meyer, owner of the nearby Alex the Captain takeaway, said of Tuesday's trade: "The morning was terrible but after 10:00 it was really nice. It was a real flow with people coming in all the time."
His takings for Tuesday were up by more than 10%.
"People have to eat and drink." he said.
Zuma and his co-accused Thint, subsidiary of a French arms company, are asking that the court dismiss the trial because the case has been prejudiced by unreasonable delays caused by the state.
Zuma is accused of having accepted a R500 000 a year bribe from Thint in exchange for protection into a probe into South Africa's controversial multi-billion rand arms deal.
- SAPA