Zuma granted another postponement in corruption trial

"The trial is adjourned to 17 May 2022 as a holding date pending the decision of the President of the Supreme Court of Appeals," Koen said in his ruling on Monday afternoon.

"The adjournment is granted on the basis that if the application has been disposed of on 17 May 2022, the trial shall resume at 10 o'clock on the 31st of May 2022 and shall continue thereafter for the remainder of the second, third and fourth terms of the 2022 court calendar of this court. 

"If the reconsideration application has not been disposed of by the holding date, then a further holding date and date for the continuation of the trial shall be determined on the holding day." 

READ: Zuma's team to go ahead with postponement application

Zuma's legal team had asked for a four to six-week postponement while he pursues other legal avenues in his bid to get the lead prosecutor removed from the case.

Before Monday's proceedings, they launched a reconsideration application with the President of the Supreme Court of Appeal after his appeal of a judgment dismissing his efforts to have Advocate Billy Downer removed failed.

Judge Koen says the matter cannot go ahead until the SCA has decided on the reconsideration application. 

"It does not seem to me that this court has much of a discretion if it has one at all to deny those pure rights statutorily ordained unless perhaps in the clearest of cases where there is an abuse of rights. The appeal process should be allow to run it's cause. Mr Zuma has challenged many decisions adverse to him in the past."  

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Zuma's also now pursuing private prosecution against Downer.

The former president was not in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday.

His team says he fell ill on Sunday.