This follows his absence in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Tuesday morning.

PIETERMARITZBURG - The Pietermaritzburg High Court has issued an arrest warrant for former President Jacob Zuma but the judge has stayed the warrant until his corruption trial resumes on 6 May.

Zuma was due in the dock on Tuesday where he's facing charges of corruption linked to the multi-billion rand arms deal but he skipped court on grounds of needing medical treatment.

The former president's lawyer presented the judge with a sick note from what he said was a military hospital, but the judge questioned whether the note was valid or even written by a doctor.

#BREAKING: A warrant of arrest has been issued for former President Jacob Zuma. This follows his absence in the Pietermaritzburg High Court this morning. @NkoRaphael — EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) February 4, 2020

[#WATCH] State Prosecutor Billy Downer says the State does not concede to the submission of the sick note by Mantsha. Downer says the note does not prove anything. The State has called for the issuing of a warrant of arrest of Mr. #Zuma by end of today. @NkoRaphael pic.twitter.com/RY8G5NfAkk — EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) February 4, 2020

Zuma's lawyer Daniel Mantsha said that they were disappointed that the judge wanted proof.

"We're very disappointed that the court would doubt a medical certificate from the military with an original stamp from a military hospital. It's absolutely disappointing."

He said that he would first establish whether Zuma was well enough to hear the news about the warrant.

"I'll have to talk to the doctors who are with him and his entire team to see if he's in a condition to listen to this. We'll engage - I'm not sure he'll be in a condition to listen to this... I'll get an advisement from his medical team."