Jacob Zuma Fights R28.9 million Legal Fee: Attorney Argues For Leave To Appeal
- Jacob Zuma's case returned to the Johannesburg court, where he is continuing his battle against repaying R28.9 million in legal fees
- The former president's attorney, Advocate Masuku, argued for the right to appeal, stating that the courts should not hold Zuma personally responsible for the payment
- Masuku explained that Zuma was the innocent party, while the state officials who authorised the payment were the ones at fault
Source: Getty Images
JOHANNESBURG- Former President Jacob Zuma's case returned to the Johannesburg court, where he is continuing his battle against repaying R28.9 million in legal fees.
Zuma's attorney, Advocate Masuku, argued for the right to appeal, asserting that the courts did not hold Zuma responsible for the payment. Masuku contended that Zuma was the innocent party, while the state officials who authorised the payment were the ones at fault.
According to IOL , Masuku presented before Judge Anthony Millar, where he argued that Zuma was not the in the wrong and state officials who authorised payment of his legal fees should be the ones held liable.
He stated the payment was made as a decision between the then president and the state attorney who agreed that Zuma was entitled to state funding.
In defense of the state, Advocate George Avakoumides argued that it was not for this particular court to interrogate whether Zuma must pay back the money.
He further state that both previous courts found that Zuma was not entitled to fund his legal fees from taxpayers money and therefore liable to pay back the money with interest.
The judgment on the leave to appeal was reserved.
Previous court rulings ordered Zuma to repay the funds
Source: Getty Images
The order issued by Judge Anthony Millar in the North Gauteng High Court upheld the decisions made by the High Court in 2018 and April 2021, which both declared that Zuma was obligated to pay back the money. The judgement stated:
“There is… simply no other rational interpretation that can be ascribed to the order in question other than that it was intended that Mr Zuma personally will be ordered to repay the R28,960,774.34,"
The former president was ordered to repay the amount within sixty days, and failure to do so would result in the state attaching his assets.
Social media reacts to the news of Zuma's appeal
@AdvocateJones25 asked:
"where does he get the money for all these court battles and claim he does not have money ?"
@thebiggirlcheck said:
"I'm surprised he hasn't tried to bribe his way out…"
@malalaveve commented:
"We want that R29m to pay the University Fees for our poor children. He must pay back that money."
@Ndaba_2025 stated:
"This old man need to rest, he know that order came not only from the court and judges, they have no say in that but hidden force that Captured the Judiciary currently, he will never win anything in these rogue unit courts .!!"
@WhiteRhino111 remrked:
"MK time wasters."
The Zuma Foundation condemned court ruling on the R28.9 million repayment
Previously, Briefly News reported that the Jacob G Zuma Foundation criticised the high court ruling handed down on 26 October 2025.The foundation argued that the ruling penalised Zuma for actions that were done by the state.
The foundation's spokesperson Mzanele Manyi argued that the state acted unlawfully in relation to Zuma's legal fees but that her personally cannot be held.
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Source: Briefly News
