NPA to prosecute former president Jacob Zuma

Pretoria – The NPA will prosecute former president Jacob 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.

"I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution of Mr Zuma," embattled NPA boss Shaun Abrahams said on Friday.

He said he notified Zuma on his decision earlier in the day. 

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.

Read: ConCourt rules Abrahams can announce Zuma decision

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The charges were subsequently withdrawn, just before Zuma was sworn in for his first term as president.