All political eyes and pressure will be on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), which has to decide whether to charge African National Congress deputy president Jacob Zuma, say political analysts.

This follows the Supreme Court of Appeal's unanimous decision to dismiss Schabir Shaik's appeal against his corruption and fraud convictions, and also chastising his relationship with Zuma.

NPA boss Vusi Pikoli had said after Zuma's corruption case had been struck off the roll in September that Shaik's appeal would strongly influence his decision on whether to re-indict Zuma.

On Monday, the NPA said it was still deciding on the matter.

Chastising his relationship with Zuma Political analyst with the Centre for Policy Studies Aubrey Matshiqi described the ruling as a political setback for Zuma.

Keith Gottschalk, professor of Political Science at the University of the Western Cape, also said Monday's ruling meant that the prosecution would furiously argue for a corruption case against Zuma.

Human Sciences Research Council's senior researcher, Mcebisi Ndletyana, said that the NPA was under pressure to re-indict Zuma.

Meanwhile, Shaik seems to have very little legal recourse against his corruption conviction following the ruling on Monday.

Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of the Western Cape Pierre de Vos said that the only recourse available to him now, was to show that constitutional issues were at play for him to apply for leave to appeal to the Constitutional Court. - Daily News Correspondent

This article was originally published on page 1 of Daily News on November 07, 2006

With acknowledgement tot Sapa and Independent On Line.