The Pietermaritzburg High Court issued an arrest warrant for former president Jacob Zuma yesterday, after he missed court on grounds of needing medical treatment.
But High Court Judge Dhaya Pillay stayed the warrant until his corruption trial resumes on May 6.
Zuma’s lawyer, Daniel Mantsha, presented the judge with a sick note from what he said was a military hospital, but the judge questioned whether the note was valid or even written by a doctor.
Senior State prosecutor
advocate Billy Downer earlier told the Pietermaritzburg High Court that the State was seeking a warrant of arrest.
Downer made the request because Zuma had not submitted a medical certificate, nor let the State know what the illness was that kept him from proceedings on Tuesday.
“Zuma’s absence is disappointing, we want Mantsha to tell us what the illness is and why Zuma can’t be here,” he said.
“It is a criminal offence for the accused not to be present if he has been warned in court. The court would have to enquire into reasons for his absence.”
He asked that the warrant be issued at the end of Tuesday’s proceedings.
Mantsha countered that Zuma’s illness was a matter of “state security”.
Zuma was also not able to appear before a sitting of the commission of inquiry into state capture last year because of
illness.
He has been seeking treatment outside the country.
Zuma supporter and former minister Des van Rooyen said the former president would never fake an illness.
“There is no way that his excellency the former president Mr Zuma can avoid the law. That is just fabrication and this is one of those statements that are issued to paint him as this evil person who is even undermining the very same democratic system that he fought for and ultimately created, which is very unfortunate,” he said.