Former SA President and current MK Party leader, Jacob Zuma.
Image: Timothy Bernard / Independent Newspapers
Will he or won't he? It remains unclear if former president Jacob Zuma will attend the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Thursday after conflicting remarks from high profile Umkhonto Wesizwe Party Members of Parliament (MPs) on Thursday.
After years of snubbing invites to the SONA, it remains unclear if Zuma will attend the alongside over 50 MK Party MPs this evening.
Umkhonto Wesizwe national spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, confirmed to IOL that Zuma would attend.
He added that 50 of the party's MPs will also be in attendance.
It will be Zuma's first appearance after his resignation as president in 2018.
However, the party's Mzwanele Manyi, who is also the spokesperson for the Jacob Zuma Foundation, said Zuma won't be attending.
Speaking to IOL, Manyi said Zuma has court matters and will not attend SONA.
Later, he told Newzroom Afrika that Zuma was meant to deliver the party's 'real' SONA however, Parliament failed to supply a venue.
He added the judiciary has ensured that Zuma does not attend the event.
He said Zuma has two major appointments that clash with SONA; one being his case against Cyril Ramaphosa and the other, the ongoing arms deal.
Speaking in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane confirmed all former presidents would be attending the 2025 SONA.
"Former president [Thabo] Mbeki will be here. Former president [Kgalema] Motlanthe is here with us as well as former president Zuma — he will be in attendance," she said.
Hours before his flight to Cape Town, Zuma is set to appear in court for his bid to privately prosecute Ramaphosa.
This stems from a matter in 2022 where Zuma accused Ramaphosa of being an accessory after the fact after his medical records were allegedly leaked.
In 2024, the Gauteng High Court postponed Zuma's bid to Thursday where he was due to supply details of his appeal process to the court.
On Monday this week, the Constitutional Court declined Zuma's request for condonation for his late application.
He is expected to provide the court with an update on Thursday.
Meanwhile, French arms company, Thales has filed an application to halt the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA's) corruption and racketeering case, citing the death of two witnesses.
Thales is arguing that the trial would be unfair.
The NPA confirmed that it has received Thales's application.
"The National Prosecuting Authority confirms being served with an application by second accused Thales in the corruption case of former President Jacob Zuma. The NPA will vigorously argue in opposition of the application as we believe it has no merit and stands to be dismissed," NPA national spokesperson, Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga, said.
IOL previously reported that Zuma faces charges of fraud, corruption and money laundering relating to the controversial arms deal involving Thales.
It is alleged that Thales paid a bribe to Zuma via a company known as Nkobi Holdings, linked to convicted Durban businessman, Schabir Shaik. Shaik was sentenced for his role however he was released on medical parole in 2009.
seanne.rall@iol.co.za
IOL