It's in your hands, he tells Cosatu crowd

Embattled deputy president Jacob Zuma has upped the stakes in his bid to become the country's president by tactfully telling thousands of Cosatu members that his political future was partly in their hands.

With less than a month before the Schabir Shaik trial, which analysts say could decide whether he will become the country's next president, comes to an end, Zuma yesterday used the May Day celebrations to drum up support within Cosatu. Addressing thousands of workers at Curries Fountain Stadium in Durban, Zuma told them that they were "decision makers and the owners of the economy".

Zuma, whose ability to fraternise with ordinary people is legendary, was not scheduled to speak at the rally, but he had to take to the podium after the "workers" started chanting his name and singing a song denouncing former head of the National Prosecuting Authority Bulelani Ngcuka before the end of the proceedings.

Explaining why he had not been drafted as one of the keynote speakers Zuma said: "We took a decision as ANC that women will address various May Day gatherings across the country. I am merely here to support them. That is why I am not one of the speakers," he said to tumultuous applause

Speaking in a mixture of Zulu and English, Zuma, in an apparent attempt to consolidate his support within Cosatu, which has made no bones about the fact that he should step into president Thabo Mbeki's shoes, said the workers were the owners of the economy and decision makers.

Referring to the 1886 strikes in the United States and Canada, which are believed to have led to the modern celebration of May Day as a working class holiday, Zuma said the industrial action resulted in many people being killed and others being sentenced to jail.

"On that day workers took a decision, because you are the decision makers," he said, before he burst into a spirited liberation song, which sent the crowd into raptures.

His comments which came just weeks after the general secretary of Cosatu, Zwelinzima Vavi, made it clear that attempting to stop Zuma's rise to the highest office in the land was like trying to stop a tsunami, appear to have been aimed at sending a message to the workers that he counted on them in his bid to become the country's next president.

The trade union federation is one of the powerful king makers within the ANC-led tripartite alliance and its support for Zuma could be crucial in deciding who will be South Africa's third democratically elected president.

Zuma's remarks came just hours after it emerged that Shaik is set to fall on his sword and take full blame for R1 million which he allegedly solicited for Zuma.

This is seen as a last-gasp attempt by Shaik to clear the name of Zuma in what could pave the way for Zuma to become the country's next president. The celebrations were also dominated by calls to the government to do something about the strengthening rand, which has been blamed for the loss of jobs in the mining and textile sectors.

With acknowledgements to Bheko Madlala and the Daily News.