Zuma, forced to resign by his ruling African National Congress last month, was at the centre of a 1990s deal to buy European military kit.
Chief state prosecutor Shaun Abrahams said the 75-year-old’s attempts to head off the charges hanging over him for more than a decade had failed.
Mr Abrahams said: “I am of the view that a trial court would be the most appropriate forum for these issues to be ventilated and to be decided upon.”
Zuma will face 16 charges relating to 783 payments he allegedly received.
Twelve are of fraud, one of racketeering, two of corruption and one of money laundering.
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Zuma was deputy president at the time of the arms deal.
Schabir Shaik, his former financial adviser, was found guilty and jailed in 2005 for trying to solicit bribes for Zuma from a French arms company.
The 16 counts were dropped shortly before he successfully ran for president in 2009.
Since his election nine years ago, his opponents have fought a lengthy legal battle to have the charges reinstated.
Opposition Democratic Alliance party leader Mmusi Maimane said: “This is a victory for all who have fought for years for Jacob Zuma to face accountability for his crimes.”