While its beleaguered deputy is staggering under allegations of involvement in corruption and the ANC is facing a huge crisis, President Thabo Mbeki will be leaving on an official visit to Chile on Monday.

Before his departure, Mbeki will attend a meeting of the ANC's national working committee, but it is not known whether Deputy President Jacob Zuma's involvement with the charge of corruption against Schabir Shaik will be on the agenda.

Democratic Alliance chief whip Douglas Gibson said it is irresponsible of Mbeki to leave the country now.

"We question whether the president should be absent in the midst of such a crisis, unless he knows Zuma is going to resign. He ought to postpone his official visit."

Presidential spokesman Bheki Khumalo said there has been no communication between Mbeki and Zuma since the judgment.

In a surprise move, the ANC Youth League has asked that Zuma be charged "so he can prove his innocence".

Wearing shirts proclaiming "Zuma 100%", the Youth League's leaders pledged their full support in Johannesburg on Sunday.

League president Fikile Mbalula placed the blame for Zuma's growing predicament on an "untransformed media and political opposition", an "apartheid judge" and the "indecisiveness" of Bulelani Ngcuka, former head of the National Prosecuting Authority.

The Young Communist League (YCL) accused Judge Hilary Squires of racism because he allegedly dragged Zuma's name through the mud.

"Did we expect anything else from the judge? He is a cynical, mad person who is still raw because his apartheid existence came to an end. *1 We will never judge our leaders according to the standards of an apartheid judge," said YCL national director Buti Manamela.

With acknowledgements to The Natal Witness.

*1 There must surely be substance for a case of contempt of court and for crimen injuria, plus a cause of action for civil defamation.

These fluffies need to be vatted.