The Economic Freedom Fighters on Friday welcomed the NDPP’s decision to proceed with charges against president Jacob Zuma - but in the same breath called for National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams to vacate his office.

On Friday‚ Abrahams made a groundbreaking announcement against Zuma‚ saying he should stand trial for the 16 charges of corruption‚ fraud‚ money-laundering and racketeering brought against him brought in relation to the 1990s arms deal.

"I am of the view that there are reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution of Zuma in the charges listed in the indictment‚" Abrahams said.

In the wake of the of the decision‚ EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said that decision to reinstate the charges came after “many years of manipulation of the legal processes to try and avoid this eventuality”.

“The Zuma corruption trial will indeed provide a neutral platform for all matters relating to his charges to be ventilated as explained by the NDPP‚ and finally brought to a close.

“It is important to state that no one‚ even former presidents‚ is above the law. The principle of equality before the law means we must all be equally held accountable for the deeds deemed illegal regardless of our social and political standing. The prosecution of Zuma will send a strong message to all kleptomaniacs within and outside the government that they can never loot the state and not meet the consequences thereof‚” he said.

Then the EFF MP turned on Abrahams‚ saying only his removal from office could restore confidence in the prosecuting authority.

“The EFF…calls on Shaun Abrahams to step down from the position of NDPP. The courts have declared that his appointment was illegitimate and thus he has to step down. Nothing will further restore confidence in the National Prosecuting Authority than a new and fresh NDPP‚” Ndlozi added.

He was referring to a court ruling which stated that the appointment of Abrahams as NDPP was unlawful and must be set aside.

Civil society organisations had approached the court to have the R17-million golden handshake received by Abrahams' predecessor‚ Mxolisi Nxasana‚ declared invalid.

A full bench had set aside the termination of former prosecutions boss Mxolisi Nxasana's contract‚ as well as the subsequent appointment of Abrahams on 18 June 2015.

Last month‚ Abrahams’ lawyers took to the Constitutional Court where they submitted that it was irrational to use state funds to pay his Nxasana a salary for the remaining period of his contract to leave his post.

They argued that this did not mean the appointment of Abrahams was invalid and should be set aside as there was a vacancy when Abrahams was appointed.