Zuma receives summons to appear in court

Former president Jacob Zuma's lawyer Micheal Hulley has confirmed to News24 that he has received a summons for his client to appear in the Durban High Court on April 6. 

"I can confirm that the summons has been received and that we are preparing an application to review the NDPP's decision to prosecute," Hulley told News24. 

The NPA will prosecute Zuma on 16 charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering.

The charges relate to 783 questionable payments Zuma allegedly received in connection with the controversial multi-billion rand arms deal.

Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed to News24 that the summons had been served to the former president.

"I cannot say what it is in the actual document, but it is related to the charges of corruption, fraud and racketeering," Mulaudzi said.

The case will be heard on April 6 at the High Court in Durban.

Earlier this month National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams announced that the prosecuting authority would go ahead with prosecuting the former president.

"I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution of Mr Zuma," Abrahams said at the time.

Former NPA boss Mokotedi Mpshe dropped the charges in 2009, based on the recordings of the so-called "spy tapes", which were presented to him by Zuma's legal team.

The tapes were made up of recordings of telephone conversations between then Scorpions boss Leonard McCarthy and former NPA boss Bulelani Ngcuka, which Zuma's legal team claimed showed political interference in the decision to charge him.

The charges were subsequently withdrawn, just before Zuma was sworn in for his first term as president.