Publication	City Press
Date	2005-11-26
Reporter	S'thembiso Msomi
Web Link	www.news24.com

Jacob Zuma's days as deputy president of the ANC are numbered. Indications yesterday were that he would be hauled before a court this week to answer charges of rape following the conclusion of DNA tests that have apparently linked him to the alleged rape.

This came as the division in the ANC around his corruption charges and rape claims manifested itself in the ranks of Cosatu and the SA Communist Party.

The latest drama came yesterday when the SACP summoned Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils to explain why he suspended National Intelligence Agency boss Billy Masetlha and two other senior agents. The three were suspended for their controversial investigation into businessman and ANC leader Saki Macozoma.

Kasrils' grilling came amid strong indications from the police that Zuma would be taken to court this week. No date was mentioned as this depended on the National Prosecuting Authority, who refused to speculate yesterday. NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi, who has confirmed that the docket had been handed to them by the police, yesterday said he did not know when a decision would be made whether to prosecute Zuma on the rape charges.

Zuma, with his back to the wall, was to have explained himself on the rape charges on Friday, but the media briefing was later postponed to Tuesday. Speculation was rife that the briefing would coincide with Zuma's court appearance but his lawyer, Michael Hulley, denied this, saying it was designed to merely explain Zuma's side on the rape allegations.

Zuma, who is already facing charges of corruption arising from his relationship with convicted businessman Schabir Shaik, is alleged to have raped a 31-year-old woman whose family has very strong ties to the ANC leader.

Cosatu, one of Zuma's major backers, issued statement after statement on Thursday and Friday, firstly stating that it had never punted Zuma as potential president, and later insisting that its support for him remained unwavering. But even it said once he is charged they would issue a statement consistent with Cosatu's stance against rape.

Cosatu insiders say the Zuma issue sparked a heated debate at its Central Executive Committee meeting this week, with some questioning whether it was correct to give unqualified support to the embattled leader.

The Young Communists, who have also been fully behind Zuma, are said to be divided over the matter, with one of its senior members, Mazibuko Jara, facing suspension for writing a paper titled "What is the colour of our flag, Red or JZ" in which he castigated those punting Zuma as a saviour of the left.

The Western Cape region of the SACP is also said to have distanced itself from the support for Zuma.

These cracks were clearly evident at the SACP's augmented Central Committee meeting held in Randburg, Johannesburg, this weekend as party members engaged in a heated debate on whether to continue backing Zuma.

Kasrils was hauled before the 150 delegates attending the meeting to answer why he suspended Masetlha, his deputy Gibson Njenje and counter-intelligence chief Bob Mhlanga from the NIA. The minister is a member of the Central Committee and had attended the SACP meeting in that capacity.

The strong pro-Zuma lobby at the meeting accused Kasrils of acting against the three because they dared investigate Macozoma, a prominent businessman with alleged links to the president and other individuals said to be opposed to Zuma.

Kasrils, however, defended his actions. He told the meeting that Masetlha and the others had acted "illegally" by ordering the surveillance operation without being authorised by him as the minister in charge.

Although a growing number of party leaders admit that Zuma is now a lost cause in terms of the presidential race, the majority in the Central Committee seemed united in believing that the charismatic politician is a victim of a political conspiracy.

In a clear rejection of the ANC's National Executive Committee resolution last weekend, dismissing claims of a conspiracy, the SACP insisted that such a plot against Zuma did indeed exist.