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| Former SA President Zuma to go on trial for corruption | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| South Africa's former President Jacob Zuma is due in court on corruption charges related to a $2.5bn arms deal in the 1990s. | |
| He will face 16 counts of corruption, racketeering, fraud and money laundering at the High Court in Durban. | He will face 16 counts of corruption, racketeering, fraud and money laundering at the High Court in Durban. |
| Mr Zuma - who was forced from office in February - denies any wrongdoing. | Mr Zuma - who was forced from office in February - denies any wrongdoing. |
| His trial is likely to be a lengthy one, with a battle brewing over whether the state should keep paying Mr Zuma's legal bills. | His trial is likely to be a lengthy one, with a battle brewing over whether the state should keep paying Mr Zuma's legal bills. |
| Police are preparing for several thousand supporters of the former president who have pledged to march to the high court. | Police are preparing for several thousand supporters of the former president who have pledged to march to the high court. |
| The BBC's Andrew Harding says the former president appearing in a dock is "hugely symbolic" for South Africa's young democracy. Many, he reports, will see it as an era of impunity coming to an end. | The BBC's Andrew Harding says the former president appearing in a dock is "hugely symbolic" for South Africa's young democracy. Many, he reports, will see it as an era of impunity coming to an end. |
| Mr Zuma was deputy president at the time of the decades-old arms deal. | Mr Zuma was deputy president at the time of the decades-old arms deal. |
| His former financial advisor was found guilty and jailed in 2005 for trying to solicit bribes for the then deputy president from a French arms firm. | His former financial advisor was found guilty and jailed in 2005 for trying to solicit bribes for the then deputy president from a French arms firm. |
| The issue cast a shadow over South African politics for years but charges brought against Mr Zuma were dropped by national prosecutors shortly before he successfully ran for president in 2009. | The issue cast a shadow over South African politics for years but charges brought against Mr Zuma were dropped by national prosecutors shortly before he successfully ran for president in 2009. |
| His opponents have since fought hard to have the charges reinstated; something which was made more possible once his grip on the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), weakened. | His opponents have since fought hard to have the charges reinstated; something which was made more possible once his grip on the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), weakened. |
| Intense pressure from the ANC led to the former president resigning two months ago. He had been told to step down or face a vote of no-confidence in parliament. | Intense pressure from the ANC led to the former president resigning two months ago. He had been told to step down or face a vote of no-confidence in parliament. |
| Mr Zuma's remaining supporters and some family members, believe his trial is a politically motivated witch hunt. They argue he is being targeted for backing a radical economic reform agenda. | Mr Zuma's remaining supporters and some family members, believe his trial is a politically motivated witch hunt. They argue he is being targeted for backing a radical economic reform agenda. |