Publication: The Star Issued: Date: 2005-11-29 Reporter: Angela Quintal Reporter: Mojalefa Mashego Reporter: Jeremy Gordin

Zuma Set to Break Silence on 'Rape'

 

Publication 

The Star
Date 2005-11-29

Reporter

 Angela Quintal,
Mojalefa Mashego,
Jeremy Gordin

Web Link

www.thestar.co.za

 

It's increasingly likely that Jacob Zuma, who was due to break his silence today by releasing a public statement, will be charged with rape.

Several people close to Zuma were unaware of any announcement by the ANC deputy president, although his lawyer, Mike Hulley, confirmed last night a statement would be issued late this afternoon.

The ANC, however, did not have a clue what the country's former deputy president might say today. It was business as usual at the ANC's Joburg headquarters yesterday, with the party's national working committee (NWC) occupied with next year's local government elections - and not much else.

ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said last night that all the ANC's top officials were present at the NWC meeting, including President Thabo Mbeki and Zuma.

Asked whether Zuma's woes had been discussed, Ngonyama said:

"We did not discuss anything about his situation. The meeting was about the elections."

Nor had Zuma informed the ANC of any impending statement.

Ngonyama reaffirmed the ANC's position that the rape allegations against Zuma should be dealt with in terms of the law by the appropriate state institutions.

Earlier yesterday, the ANC Youth League repeated that it was "100 percent" behind Zuma, regardless of the latest rape claims against him and the wait-and-see approach adopted by the ANC, Cosatu and the SA Communist Party.

The ANCYL made it clear that Zuma remained their choice for ANC president.

"We don't want to sound like a broken record ... but our view remains that we support Jacob Zuma for the presidency," ANCYL president Fikile Mbalula said.

He acknowledged, though, that the issue of succession within the ANC was still under discussion.

"We will not succumb to the demands of our detractors to turn our backs on Jacob Zuma," Mbalula stated.

However, if Zuma was charged with rape and prosecuted, the Youth League would be guided by its structures.

With acknowledgements to Angela Quintal, Mojalefa Mashego, Jeremy Gordin and The Star.