The Supreme Court of Appeal on Monday upheld an appeal by the National Director of Public Prosecutions against a court ruling that effectively halted ANC leader Jacob Zuma's graft prosecution.

In a unanimous judgment, a bench of five judges harshly criticised the High Court ruling, but dismissed an application to have a "political meddling" finding scrapped.

However, the NDPP won part of its appeal, which means presidential front-runner Zuma still faces charges of corruption, fraud, racketeering and tax evasion.

"The appeal is upheld with costs," said acting deputy judge president Louis Harms.

The NDPP was appealing against a ruling handed down by Pietermaritzburg High Court Judge Chris Nicholson on 12 September last year.

Nicholson found that Zuma did have the right to make representations before the NDPP decided to re-charge him.

But this decision has now been overturned on appeal.

However, on Nicholson's findings of political meddling, the SCA dismissed the NDPP's application to have the findings struck, but nevertheless criticised these findings at length, and said the issue of political meddling had nothing to do with the case.

The SCA also dismissed axed president Thabo Mbeki's application to intervene in the case.

Mbeki was recalled from office as a result of the political meddling findings.

Zuma beat Mbeki

The Bloemfontein court had to rule on mainly two aspects in the appeal. The first aspect was whether Zuma was entitled to make representations before the NDPP decided to re-charge him with corruption and fraud in December 2007, ten days after Zuma beat Mbeki in the ANC leadership race.

The second was whether Nicholson was correct in implying there was political meddling by Mbeki in the decision to charge Zuma.

Nicholson's ruling had a major impact on South Africa's political history.

The top leadership of the ANC used the judgment to recall Mbeki as president, exposing Zuma-Mbeki factionalism which ultimately led to the birth of a breakaway party.

The corruption case against Zuma first came to light in 2003, when former chief prosecutor Bulelani Ngcuka announced there was a prima facie case against Zuma, but that he would not be charged alongside his financial adviser, Schabir Shaik.

Shaik was convicted on fraud and corruption charges in 2005, amongst others related to an alleged bribe he negotiated between Zuma and a French arms company.

Mbeki fired Zuma

Days later, Mbeki fired Zuma as deputy president of the country.

Shortly after that, Ngcuka's successor, Vusi Pikoli, charged Zuma with corruption.

But in September 2006, Judge Herbert Msimang struck his case off the roll, refusing the state's request for a postponement.

In December 2007, Zuma, who despite his sacking as deputy president of the country still remained deputy president of the ANC, successfully challenged Mbeki's leadership at the ANC conference in Polokwane.

That same month, acting NDPP Mokotedi Mpshe decided to charge Zuma again.

This time he faced charges of corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering.

The charges hung over his head until September 2008 when Nicholson ruled in his favour, finding that the NDPP should have first offered him the opportunity to make a representation before deciding to re-charge him.

Sapa