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EVENTS LEADING TO THE DECISION

The NPA announced yesterday that fraud and corruption charges against ANC leader Jacob Zuma will be dropped.

The NPA announced yesterday that fraud and corruption charges against ANC leader Jacob Zuma will be dropped.

Here is a timeline of events leading up to the announcement.

l August 2003 Bulelani Ngcuka says there is a prima facie case of corruption against Zuma, but he would not be charged alongside his financial adviser Schabir Shaik.

l October 2004 Shaik pleads not guilty to charges of corruption and fraud.

l June 2, 2005 Judge Hilary Squires finds Shaik guilty.

l June 20, 2005 Vusi Pikoli announces that Zuma will be charged with two counts of corruption.

l June 21, 2005 Zuma says he welcomes the decision.

l June 29, 2005 Zuma appears in the Durban magistrate's court on two graft charges.

l August 2005 The offices of Thint, the offices of Zuma's attorney, Michael Hulley, and Zuma's homes and former offices are raided.

l September 2006 Judge Herbert Msimang strikes Zuma's case off the roll, saying he had "no choice" after the prosecution said it was not ready to proceed.

l November 2006 A bench of five judges in the SCA rejects Shaik's bid to appeal.

l October 2007 The Constitutional Court rejects Shaik's bid to appeal his conviction and 15-year sentence.

l November 2007 The SCA rules in favour of the NPA in the case relating to various search and seizure raids in Zuma's case, including the obtaining of personal diary of a senior member of the French arms company.

l December 19, 2007 Zuma beats Mbeki in the ANC leadership race.

l December 28, 2007 Zuma is served with papers to appear in court on corruption charges.

l March 2008 Zuma and Thint appeal to the Constitutional Court against the SCA ruling in favour of the NPA.

l April 2008 The Constitutional Court dismisses Shaik's appeal against the validity of a confiscation order regarding R33million of Shaik and his companies' assets.

l July 2008 Constitutional Court rules in favour of the NPA in the Zuma-Thint appeal.

l September 12, 2008 Judge Chris Nicholson rules in the Pietermaritzburg high court that Zuma was entitled to make representations before the NDPP decided to re-charge him, effectively halting his prosecution.

l September 20, 2008 The ANC announces that Mbeki will be recalled from office.

l September 22, 2008 Mbeki, announces his resignation in a television address.

l September 23, 2008 Mbeki applies for leave to appeal the Nicholson ruling in the Constitutional Court.

l November 11, 2008 The Constitutional Court dismisses Mbeki's application, saying the NDPP was already in the process of appealing the ruling.

l November 28, 2008 The SCA hears the NDPP appeal against the Nicholson ruling.

l January 12, 2009 The SCA upholds the NDPP appeal, but dismisses Mbeki's application to intervene and dismisses the application to have Nicholson's "political meddling" findings struck out.

l February 4, 2009 The Pietermaritzburg high court sets out a timeline for the Zuma case.

l April 6, 2009 The NPA, after receiving representations from Zuma's lawyers, announces that the charges against him will be dropped. - Sapa

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