Publication: The Star Issued: Date: 2007-06-15 Reporter: Basildon Peta

Allegations Do Not Make for a Criminal

 

Publication 

The Star
Date

2007-06-15

Reporter

Basildon Peta

Web Link

www.thestar.co.za

 

Jacob Zuma says he will withdraw from the race for the ANC presidency only if convicted and sentenced by a court of law *1.

The ANC deputy president said yesterday he would not turn down a nomination to run for the presidency if he was nominated by the party's structures, as doing so would amount to "convicting myself".

Zuma vowed to fight on in response to a question at a Foreign Correspondents Association briefing yesterday about whether he would consider stepping aside in view of the controversy likely to surround his candidature when the ANC elects its new leaders in December.

Zuma could be in court at that time fighting corruption charges.

"Why should I convict myself?" asked Zuma. "I won't do that (withdraw any nomination)." Zuma said an allegation did not make anyone a criminal.

Since joining the ANC in 1958, Zuma said he had never refused any task assigned to him by the party. He said he was not about to start doing so now.

He reiterated his position that he was not on the campaign trail, adding that neither was Tokyo Sexwale. His understanding was that Sexwale had merely expressed an interest in the job if nominated, but was actually not campaigning for the job.

Zuma said he would stick to the ANC tradition in which leaders are nominated from within the party and would therefore not go on a full campaign trail until those who have indicated that they might want to nominate him officialise the nominations.

He also expressed concerns with investigations into the arms deal which prompted corruption charges against him.

While he had been haunted for six years over an allegation that he was paid a R500 000 bribe which he said he never asked for *2, Zuma said he was concerned that allegations that certain individuals had been paid millions had been left untouched *3. "I think there is a problem there but I wouldn't want to comment in detail now," he said, hinting that he would spill the beans *4 if he was charged and prosecuted *5.

He also condemned torture in Zimbabwe but declined to comment about South Africa's use of its vote at the UN, saying he was no longer in government.

The civil servants' strike had not been a desirable thing as it damaged the economy, and both government and labour could have tried to avoid it, he said. He urged a quick compromise between labour and government. He said he did not want to be highly critical of either side as he had not been part of their negotiations.

With acknowledgements to Basildon Peta and The Star.


*1       While he himself has not actually been convicted and sentenced by a court of law, the Supreme Court of Appeal has judged that the High Court was correct in its finding that he requested and was paid a bribe by the French company Thomson-CSF facilitated by his financial advisor Schabir Shaik.


*2      The High Court and Supreme Court of Appeal have judged the authenticity of an executive statement that he was offered a bribe which he confirmed by means of and encoded signal.

Does one believe a judge of the High Court backed by five judges of the Supreme Court of a weapon-waving politician?


*3      Now here our agendas converge.


*4      Spill the beans.


*5      This is why the whole prosecution thing is so convoluted and extended - finding a way to prosecute without the castles of some of those among us not coming tumbling down (as well as a goodly amount of pressure in the googlies).