** Please visit our website: http://www.africanassociation.org **
For once we are seeing an African leader take bold action! I lived in
South Africa for five years after MANDELA came to power. I experienced
first hand the fragility of that countrry's newborn democracy. We trust
that THABO MBEKI's firm stance will rescue SA's political "titanic".
One question though: Why is JACOB ZUMA still the Deputy President of
the ANC after this disgraceful behavior? Can any South African brother
or sister shed some light on this imbroglio for us?
PETER VAKUNTA
----- Original Message -----
From: PETER W VAKUNTA <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, June 20, 2005 12:17 pm
Subject: POLITICAL RIPPLES IN THE NEW SOUTH AFRICA!
> ** Please visit our website: http://www.africanassociation.org **
>
> South Africa's Zuma faces charges
>
> Zuma was dismissed as deputy president last week
> South Africa's former Deputy President Jacob Zuma, who was sacked last
> week, is to be charged with corruption.
> President Thabo Mbeki dismissed Mr Zuma after his financial adviser,
> Schabir Shaik, was convicted of corruption and sentenced to 15
> years in
> jail.
>
> The judge in that case had ruled that Mr Shaik had a "generally
> corrupt" relationship with Mr Zuma.
>
> The sacking was praised in South Africa and by donor countries as a
> strong signal against corruption in Africa.
>
> But many supporters of the ruling ANC party have voiced their support
> for Mr Zuma, who denies any wrongdoing.
>
> The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced the charges at a
> news conference.
>
> "We have decided to bring criminal charges against former Deputy
> President Jacob Zuma, among them two counts of corruption," spokesman
> Makhosini Nkosi said.
>
> Mr Zuma is expected to appear in court in Durban later this week.
>
> 'Deeply significant'
>
> Opposition political parties have welcomed the NPA's announcement.
>
> "Politically this decision is deeply significant, as it will
> effectively mean that Mr Zuma may now be incapable of playing any
> majorpolitical leadership role due to the various legal processes
> that will
> now be set in motion," said Tony Leon, leader of the opposition
> Democratic Alliance.
>
> The organisations that have been most supportive of Mr Zuma - the ANC
> Youth League, the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South
> African Communist Party - said a trial would give Mr Zuma the
> chance to
> clear his name.
>
> "We trust that a court trial will shed light and bring finality to
> thismatter," the SACP said in a statement.
>
> Divisions
>
> Mr Mbeki announced Mr Zuma's dismissal last Tuesday, saying that
> although Mr Zuma must be presumed innocent until proven guilty, his
> sacking would be in the interests of South Africa's young democracy.
>
>
> Shaik's trial prompted a new investigation into Zuma's conduct
>
> But two days later, crowds attending the annual Youth Day rallies were
> vocal in their support for Mr Zuma and their condemnation of Mr Mbeki.
>
> In KwaZulu-Natal, Mr Zuma's supporters threw bottles and jeered a
> senior ANC official, who had to leave a rally with a police escort.
>
> Mr Zuma remains deputy president of the ANC, and some commentators
> havespoken of a crisis in the ruling party as a result of the sacking.
>
> The BBC's Barnaby Phillips in Johannesburg says that the ANC is
> struggling to control the divisions caused by the sacking and will not
> relish the prospect of Mr Zuma going on trial.
>
> Mr Zuma has frequently protested his innocence, and said he has been
> tried by the media.
>
> Shaik's trial stemmed from an earlier investigation into a South
> African government arms deal, in which the then chief prosecutor said
> there was prima facie evidence against Mr Zuma, but decided there was
> not sufficient evidence to convict the deputy president.
>
> But following the Shaik judgement - in which it was found that Mr
> Shaikhad solicited a bribe on behalf of Mr Zuma - the NPA began
> once again
> to investigate charges against Mr Zuma.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------
> To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, visit:
>
> http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/aam.html
>
> AAM Website: http://www.africanassociation.org
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
> ---------
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, visit:
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/aam.html
AAM Website: http://www.africanassociation.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
