S v Zuma and Others was the first case decided by the Constitutional Court of South Africa after it was established in 1995. The case dealt with a provision of the Criminal Procedure Act which required the defence in criminal cases to prove that a confession made before a magistrate was coerced, rather than requiring the state to prove that it was not coerced. The court held that this reverse onus provision was unconstitutional because it violated the right to a fair trial under section 25 of the Interim Constitution.

S v Zuma
CourtConstitutional Court of South Africa
Full case name State v Zuma and Others
Decided5 April 1995 (1995-04-05)
Citations[1995] ZACC 1, 1995 (2) SA 642 (CC), 1995 (4) BCLR 401 (CC)
Case history
Prior actionReferral from Natal Provincial Division
Court membership
Judges sittingChaskalson P, Ackermann, Didcott, Kriegler, Langa, Madala, Mahomed, Mokgoro, O'Regan & Sachs JJ, Kentridge AJ
Case opinions
Decision byKentridge
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