Former president Jacob Zuma has made another attempt to avoid repaying nearly R29 million in taxpayer-funded legal fees, taking the matter to the Constitutional Court.
The Presidency has argued that Zuma has no reasonable prospects of overturning the repayment order, according to TimesLIVE. The case adds another chapter to a long-running legal battle over public money spent on Zuma’s personal legal defence.
Presidency Opposes Zuma’s Latest Bid
The Jacob Zuma legal fees dispute centres on R28,960,774.34 paid by the State for Zuma’s legal costs in his criminal prosecution and related litigation.
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria ruled on 22 October 2025 that Zuma must repay the money to the State Attorney, with interest. The court also said the State Attorney could take enforcement steps if Zuma failed to pay.
According to TimesLIVE, the Presidency has now told the Constitutional Court that Zuma has no prospects of successfully challenging the repayment order.
The Democratic Alliance has also opposed Zuma’s Constitutional Court application. In a statement carried by Polity, the DA said Zuma was seeking leave to appeal after both the High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal refused him leave.
Courts Previously Found State Funding Unlawful
The Jacob Zuma legal fees case dates back several years. In 2018, the Gauteng High Court found that the State was not liable for Zuma’s private legal costs. The Supreme Court of Appeal later upheld that finding in 2021.
The High Court judgment in October 2025 dealt with the recovery of the money already paid. Judge Anthony Millar found that the amount was not in dispute and ordered Zuma to repay R28,960,774.34.
Zuma’s legal team has argued that earlier court orders did not expressly say he must personally repay the funds. However, the High Court rejected that argument when it dismissed his leave-to-appeal bid in December 2025.
DA Says Taxpayers Must be Repaid
The DA has framed the matter as a taxpayer accountability case. In its Constitutional Court papers, the party said public money should not fund the private legal battles of powerful politicians.
The Jacob Zuma legal fees matter now sits before the Constitutional Court. If the court dismisses Zuma’s application, the repayment order will remain in force.
There was no final Constitutional Court ruling on the latest bid at the time of publication.