Fund-raising efforts aimed at ensuring that the legal fees of former deputy president Jacob Zuma are paid are to be “doubled” as it has become clear that more than the previously estimated R12m may be needed.

The board of the Friends of Jacob Zuma Trust was scheduled to meet this week to proceed with preparations for fund-raising initiatives.

Fund chairman Don Mkhwanazi said yesterday that the board would meet in Durban tomorrow to discuss a fund-raising strategy.

Asked whether the R12m estimated was sufficient to defend the former deputy president, Mkhwanazi said: “If the trial continues and continues, then we will need more than R12m.”

On Monday Judge Herbert Msimang adjourned Zuma’s hearing until September 5 to enable the state to examine his legal team’s application for the case to be struck from the court roll.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had sought to have the case postponed until February.

In a personal affidavit filed in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday, Zuma said he had suffered “personal, social, economic and trial prejudice” and that he was “effectively unemployed and quite unemployable” as a result of the corruption charges he faced.

He refused to divulge how much the fund had collected to date, saying he would be in a “position to say that only when we have the audited statements”.

Zuma said fund-raising would focus on “those who were not reached” and the supporters who held back donations when Zuma was charged for allegedly raping an HIV-positive family friend last year. He was acquitted.

It was also not certain how much the legal fees for Zuma’s rape trial and the pending fraud case have cost him so far. In his affidavit he said the Presidency had made no contribution, although he was apparently promised that some of his legal fees would be paid by the state.

Meanwhile, the NPA did not file papers at the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein yesterday in connection with Durban businessman Schabir Shaik’s asset forfeiture appeal. The state has until August 11 to do so. The court had earlier granted permission to Shaik to consolidate two appeal applications — in relation to his corruption and fraud convictions and the asset forfeiture.

Yesterday, television news groups were granted rights to broadcast court proceedings during the appeal hearing. The president of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Judge CT Howie, ruled in favour of the media’s application with certain restrictions.

With acknowledgement to Sapa and Business Day.