Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils and KwaZulu Natal Finance MEC Zweli Mkhize are listed as witnesses to be called during the upcoming rape trial of former Deputy President Jacob Zuma.

According to the indictment — put to Zuma in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday — there will be 23 witnesses called during the trial which begins in the Johannesburg High Court from February 13, 2006.

Zuma is accused of having raped a 31-year-old Aids activist, a family friend, in his Forest Town, Johannesburg, home on November 2 while she was staying overnight in one of his guest bedrooms.

The complainant, who laid charges at the Hillbrow police station, apparently spoke to the Intelligence Minister - listed in the indictment as based at Menlyn, Pretoria — after the incident. His office has subsequently not confirmed or denied this.

Mkhize — listed as from Ashburton, Pietermaritzburg — is understood to have paid for the complainant’s mother to fly to Johannesburg. It was reported at the time that this was to broker a deal with the complainant and had been an attempt to have the charges withdrawn.

However, Mkhize has denied this. It is understood he knew the complainant’s family well.

Other witnesses include Captain Bianca Botes and Sergeant Olivia Potgieter, both of the biology unit, forensic science laboratory of the SA Police Service in Pretoria, Detective Superintendent Bafana Peter Linda, the investigating officer at Hillbrow, and Constable Thulani Thulo of the VIP protection unit.

In the indictment summary of substantial facts, it said the accused Zuma, was "a family friend" of the complainant.

On Wednesday afternoon November 2, the complainant went to visit the accused at his Forest Town residence "on an invitation by the accused."

It reads further: "During the course of the evening, he invited her to stay over for the night and indicated a room where she could sleep. Later that evening she retired to the bedroom to sleep."

"After some time, and whilst the complaint was sleeping, the accused came to her room and offered her a massage."

"After she declined the offer, he removed the duvet that covered her and proceeded to have sexual intercourse with her against her will and without her consent."

The indictment — by the High Court, Witwatersrand Local Division — and issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions in the division against Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, describes him as a 63- year-old male from Forest Town, Johannesburg.

With acknowledgement to the Business Day.