Former president Jacob Zuma's private prosecution against News24 specialist legal journalist Karyn Maughan and senior State advocate Billy Downer will be heard on Friday, but the matter is expected to be postponed.
This comes after Zuma appealed a decision by the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg after three judges found his private prosecution to be an abuse of power.
Judges Gregory Kruger, Jacqui Henrique and Mokgere Masipa found the private prosecution had all the elements of a Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) suit, which is a legal strategy often employed by big corporations or individuals that bring defamation actions for huge amounts against individuals who criticise them.