Picture: (AP Photo/Schalk van Zuydam)-

A supporter of ANC President Jacob Zuma, left, dances with a make shift gun during a gathering outside the court in Pietermaritzburg last night. Zuma will appear in court today, on corruption charges. Zuma supporters danced to his trademark anti-apartheid song, ‘Bring Me My Machine Gun,’ at an all-night vigil ahead of today’s court hearing.

 
The African National Congress (ANC) repeated claims today that its president, Jacob Zuma, was being persecuted, ahead of his court bid to have the decision to prosecute him declared unlawful.
  
ANC spokeswoman Jessie Duarte told reporters outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court, "Mr Zuma has been found guilty in the court of public opinion because the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] has consistently sent messages… that are incorrect."

Asked who within the NPA was persecuting Zuma, she replied: "We don’t know. We only know that it is the NPA that is persecuting Zuma."

Zuma is facing more than a dozen charges, including racketeering, corruption, money laundering and fraud.

Duarte criticised the Constitutional Court’s handling of the John Hlophe saga, where the judge has been accused of attempting to interfere in the court’s ruling on a matter related to Zuma.
  
Duarte says the Constitutional Court should have dealt with the issue internally before making a public statement.
  
Meanwhile, Zuma supporters started arriving outside the court. A group of people marched down Church street, singing, dancing and whistling. Some held a sign stating: "ANC North West firmly supports Jacob Zuma".

MRN-SAPA

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