Publication: Business Day Date: 2005-11-16 Reporter: Karima Brown Reporter: Vukani Mde

Unfolding ‘Rape’ Saga Rattles Zuma Camp

 

Publication 

Business Day
Date

2005-11-16

Reporter

 Karima Brown, Vukani Mde

Web Link

www.bday.co.za

 

Key political backers of axed deputy president Jacob Zuma were rattled yesterday by apparent confirmation that a complaint of sexual assault had indeed been laid against him.

The news came after the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and South African Communist Party (SACP) leapt to Zuma’s defence following weekend reports that a charge of sexual assault involving a house guest was being investigated.

The two organisations, which have stood by Zuma through his corruption ordeal, said the first “rape” reports were part of a conspiracy against Zuma aimed at harming his political career.

However, a senior unionist said yesterday of Cosatu’s condemnation of the Sunday Times, “It looks like we rushed.”

The paper published the original report linking Zuma to a police rape investigation. However the unionist said Cosatu would also have been under pressure to respond timeously to any new serious allegations against Zuma.

Another Zuma ally in the SACP said the party would have to consider the possibility the rape claim against Zuma was valid. “If so, it’s bitterly disappointing.”

It is understood that Zuma had several meetings with members of his inner circle last week and on the sidelines of his weekend court appearance in Durban to discuss the rape claims.

While some of his supporters claim the rape allegations could be part of a smear campaign against him, they still question how he made himself vulnerable to entrapment.

“As a former intelligence head, he would know the tricks of ‘sweet entrapment’. It was a common intelligence ploy used widely during the cold war,” said a former operative in African National Congress (ANC) intelligence.

Zuma’s backers in the alliance have used up a lot of political capital defending him during his corruption trial and after he was axed from the cabinet. They have said their defence of Zuma was on principle and not personal.

Should a charge of rape eventually be laid against him, it will be difficult for their support to continue.

Though key backers are not yet willing to say this openly, many were conceding privately yesterday that Zuma’s latest troubles had blindsided them. Their dilemma has been made worse by the continued silence from both the police and the ANC.

The ANC Women’s League broke its silence over the allegations yesterday. “As an organisation that champions the interests of women, we regard any violation of women’s rights as very serious; we believe that any person who is alleged to have committed rape should be subjected to due processes of the law,” it said.

The league also lambasted newspapers for publishing the names of both Zuma and his alleged victim, saying this was a violation of their rights. “The league moves from an understanding that both the alleged victim and alleged perpetrator have rights as enshrined in the constitution of the republic.

“The manner in which the name of the ANC deputy president was splashed in papers as a perpetrator of this serious crime is a great concern. It is the view of the league that it is incorrect for the media to publish the name of an alleged perpetrator (no matter who they are) unless such a person is charged.”

Zuma has maintained his innocence on the new claims.

“Zuma repeats his denial of the allegations in the strongest possible terms, and denies he has engaged in any conduct which might compromise any investigation into these allegations,” said Zuma lawyer Michael Hulley after a daily newspaper reported there had been attempts to quash the rape claims, led by senior backers such as KwaZulu-Natal heavyweight Zweli Mkhize.

With acknowledgements to Karima Brown, Vukani Mde and Business Day.