Zuma, for the most part, looked disinterested in the dock during his umpteenth appearance but left court victorious in a sense -- it was without a date for his next appearance, writes Greg Ardé.

Who could imagine what was going through the mind of former president Jacob Zuma when he appeared in the Pietermaritzburg high court on Monday 17 August and his marathon arms deal corruption case was postponed, again.

The former president's political star might be waning but his detractors will say that the 81-year-old's Stalingrad strategy to delay justice is on track.

Presiding Judge Nkosinathi Chili did not set a date for the continuation of the trial -- nor instruct the legal teams to set aside dates for its continuation.

Advocate Billy Downer for the prosecution said, given the history of Zuma's matter, long delays in proceedings were best avoided.

Downer spoke with an air of almost amused resignation during a convivial court appearance.

For those who have grown weary of the Zuma Arms Deal corruption saga, here's a quick refresher.

Stalingrad continues predictably

Last year, Judge Piet Koen recused himself from the case because he expressed himself on the private prosecution that Zuma has bought against Downer and journalist Karyn Maughan.

Zuma is prosecuting them for releasing his medical records, a sideshow to the main act: him being accused of corruption, racketeering, money laundering and fraud arising from his...