What on earth to make of the extraordinary furore around Deputy President Jacob Zuma?

At the weekend National Directorate of Public Prosecutions head Bulelani Ngcuka tells the world that it has a "prima facie case of corruption against the deputy president" but will not be prosecuting. The use of the words "prima facie" is damning enough, but the decision not to prosecute effectively leaves Zuma defenceless against allegations levelled at him.

Then, on Monday, the charge sheet against Schabir Shaik is handed in to court. Much of it is devoted to Shaik's relationship with Zuma and the claim that the businessman paid the deputy president nearly R1.2 million between 1995 and last year and took elaborate steps to disguise the origin of the payments. Zuma's relationship with Shaik - which the charge sheet calls "corrupt" - was such that on several occasions the businessman paid the deputy president's debts. (This relationship will surely come to complicate the deputy president's political life, particularly if Shaik is convicted on any of the charges that have been bought against him.) The court is also handed an encrypted fax in which one "JZ" appears to solicit a R500 000 annual payment in return for unspecified assistance to a company with an interest in the arms deal.

Yesterday Zuma was sticking to his guns, denying any wrongdoing and pointing out that no allegations had been proved in court. If he is indeed innocent, the deputy president has fallen foul of one of the most devious stitch-up jobs in political history.

But at this juncture, anyway, denials are not enough. Damage is being done to our democracy, not to mention the presidency, and Zuma needs to explain to the country his relationship with Shaik and the money he received, or step down.

And all of which, of course, raises the question of where President Thabo Mbeki stands on this situation. Surely the time is fast approaching at which the country must hear what its leader has to say.

With acknowledgement to the Cape Times.