The urgent interdict filed by president Cyril Ramaphosa to oppose private prosecution by his predecessor Jacob Zuma has been rescheduled for Thursday. The matter will be heard before a full bench in Johannesburg High Court.

FORMER PRESIDENT vs PRESIDENT

Ramaphosa is fighting his private prosecution after Zuma listed him as an accessory in the matter involving state advocate Billy Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan for allegedly leaking his confidential medical information during his arms deal trial.

RAMAPHOSA REQUEST UNPRECEDENTED

The Jacob Zuma Foundation said in a statement that Ramaphosa's interdict was an unusual and unprecedented request by a person who has no illness or other reason other than the fact that he happens to be the president of the country. "President Zuma opposes the application on the basis that according to the principle of equality before the law President Ramaphosa must be treated like all other criminally charged and accused persons. The preferential treatment he seeks is improper. The application is a waste of the court's time and state resources," the foundation said in a statement.

NO CASE

The Foundation further said that it also emerged that the application is defective and invalid because the affidavit filed by Ramaphosa is non compliant with the applicable regulations issued by the President of South Africa and which have been in place for decades. "Such sloppiness should not come from the high office of the president. Regarding the merits of the case, this case is totally hopeless in that the accused person has so many alternative remedies in the South African law including Section 106 of the Criminal Procedure Act and many other similar avenues. It is also clear from his application that the president and his advisors do not understand the concept of an accessory after the fact," the statement reads.The High Court said, after consultation with the deputy judge president, it had been resolved that the matter be heard before a full bench

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