The much-publicised corruption trial of former South African president Jacob Zuma and his co-accused, French arms company, Thales, has been formally postponed until February 23 next year.

In a sitting that lasted for about seven minutes at the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday, Judge Nompumelelo Radebe merely ratified the consent reached between Zuma lawyers, Thales lawyers and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) that there should be a postponement in absentia.

The postponement has been made necessary by the fact that all parties are still awaiting a ruling on whether the NPA should drop racketeering against Thales.

Also coming into play are the travel restrictions imposed by the country in order to fight Covid-19.

This, according to a recent submission by the NPA, affects the movement of witnesses.

Advocate Billy Downer SC (senior counsel), the lead prosecutor in the case, told the court all parties proposed the February date.

Judge Radebe asked Zuma’s legal representative for the day, advocate Simiso Mtungwa, to confirm Downer’s assertion and once he did, the judge certified the agreement.

“The consent order is as follows: Having read the papers filed on record and considered the submissions of counsel for the State and the accused, which submissions were on paper, the court orders as follows: 1. The matter is postponed provisionally to February 23, for the resolution of the following outstanding pre-trial management issues with a view to the court at the provisionally hearing on February 23, 2021, certifying the matter as trial-ready in accordance with the judge president’s pre-trial hearing directives dated November 7, 8.

“1.1 The full judgment on Thales application for review heard on the 26 October 2020.

“1.2 Further clarity on the resumption of international travel under Covid-19 restrictions which affects witnesses and the Thales representative, Mr Durant from abroad.

1.3 “The state’s answer to Thales application for further and better particulars dated November 23.

All this happened with Zuma and his legal team of advocate Eric Mabuza, advocate Muzi Sikhakhane SC and advocate Thabani Masuku not present in court.

That was due to a prior arrangement between the three parties which was communicated to the court and accepted by the presiding judge.