South Africa’s top prosecutor on Monday dropped fraud charges against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan [official profile]. Shaun Abrahams [official profile], an advocate for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) [official website], said the decision comes after determining Gordhan did not intentionally act unlawfully. The announcement came amidst political battles in the country that have threatened financial markets and the economy, but the decision brought some stability [Reuters report], such as the South African rand increasing compared to the US dollar. However, it was also met with political backlash from various parties, including members of the African National Congress (ANC) [party website]. Gordhan believes the charges were politically motivated, but President Jacob Zuma [official profile] denies any conflict with him.

Zuma has also been embroiled in legal troubles. Zuma evaded impeachment [JURIST report] in April after the ANC reaffirmed its support for the president. The move to impeach Zuma came from opposition leaders after the Constitutional Court [official website] ruled [JURIST report] in March that he had ignored the order of the Public Protector to personally repay the amounts determined by the National Treasury, as they relate to the “non-security” upgrades to his private residence. Zuma was previously ousted [JURIST report] as the country’s deputy president in 2005 after an aide was convicted of corruption. He was also charged with rape, but he was ultimately acquitted and reinstated [JURIST report] as ANC deputy vice president. In July 2008 the South African Constitutional Court rejected a motion [JURIST report] by Zuma to exclude evidence from the corruption trial. Zuma had argued [JURIST report] that evidence seized in 2005 raids by the Directorate of Special Investigations should be thrown out because the raids violated his rights to privacy and a fair trial. The court upheld the warrants used in the raids, confirming a November 2007 decision by the Supreme Court of Appeal. He was first charged with corruption in 2005, but those charges were later dismissed [JURIST reports] because prosecutors failed to follow proper procedures.