A report detailing former president Jacob Zuma's health condition is expected to be filed by August 20, as Judge Piet Koen of the Pietermaritzburg High Court granted the his legal team's wishes to have his corruption trial hearing postponed.
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for September 9 and 10.
Tuesday's postponement was expected as the State and Zuma's legal team had agreed to the matter being postponed.
Zuma, who is currently serving a 15-month prison sentence, was hospitalised last week from the Estcourt Correctional Services Facility.
He was expected to attend Tuesday's hearing in person at the Pietermaritzburg High Court, but this did not happen following his hospitalisation.
Landile Vika, a leader of the ANC in East London and former councillor in the Buffalo City Metro, was also at the court to support former president Jacob Zuma. Video: Sihle Mavuso/IOL
Zuma is facing a string of corruption charges linked to the arms deal. The start of his corruption trial has seen numerous postponements.
Tuesday's hearing was intended to deal with Zuma's application for the recusal of prosecutor advocate Billy Downer, who Zuma accused of being conflicted and having targeted interests.
Zuma also intends to argue that the charges against him be dismissed based on these accusations.
Advocate Dali Mpofu, for Zuma, told Koen that the medical report outlining Zuma's condition could rule either way on his ability to stand trial.
The State will be allowed to assess the report and make its own determinations on whether it seeks to cross-examine the legal practitioner, if Zuma is ruled unfit to stand trial.
However, advocate Wim Trengove SC has raised concerns about the medical practitioner's letter submitted detailing Zuma's condition. The letter states that he is suffering from a medical condition that has persisted for 18 months, but the condition is not stated.
Trengove said this report was vague and did not detail exactly what was Zuma's health condition and illness.
Mpofu pushed back on Trengove's accusations, saying that the medical condition details were private.
The State has been granted permission to appoint its own medical practitioner to examine Zuma, and that practitioner would be available for cross-examination, if needed.
The hearing has been postponed to September 9 and 10, and will sit in court, unless any changes on the matter arise, Koen said.
Political Bureau