Zuma's Media Weight
With Zuma's trial still over eight months away, the press is already in a frenzy of tree culling over his each and every move. We are undoubtedly going to be sick of hearing the man's name even before the trial such are the column inches that will be dedicated to the trial in the coming months.

This morning, his lawyers reacted to media reports by asserting that Zuma will not accept any plea bargain from the State. This is patently obvious, given any admission of guilt (which would undoubtedly be required in a plea bargain) would instantly render Zuma's political career sunk. It also gives Zuma a publicity coup, as it infers that the State may think they have a weak case. So it's no wonder that they responded so aggressively to weak suggestions by the Business Day that the Scorpions would offer a plea bargain.

Essentially however, with the media profile of this trial, if Zuma somehow escapes the cosh at the conclusion of the judgement, it will prove to be the best campaigning process he could ever have wished for.