Jacob Zuma, the leader of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress, has moved a big step closer to becoming the country’s next president after a judge ruled that his long-awaited trial for corruption would not start in August as scheduled.

Mr Zuma was charged late last year with fraud, bribery, money-laundering and tax evasion in relation to a nine-year-old multi-billion rand arms deal. Given the ANC’s electoral dominance, it has long been accepted that only a conviction would prevent Mr Zuma from succeeding Thabo Mbeki, his bitter rival, after next year’s ­elections.