Publication: The Star
Issued:
Date: 2006-02-13
Reporter: Moshoeshoe Monare
Reporter: Karyn Maughan
Reporter:
| Publication |
The Star
|
| Date |
2006-02-13 |
|
Reporter
|
Moshoeshoe Monare
Karyn
Maughan |
|
Web Link
|
www.thestar.co.za
|
As
his rape trial starts, upbeat ANC deputy is eager for the chance to clear his
name in court
With his highly publicised rape trial due to start
today, a defiant Jacob Zuma has vowed that he would
never leave the ANC - despite his "current problems".
Addressing
supporters at a Cosatu election rally in Rustenburg, North West, yesterday, he
said he would deal with his problems internally, adding that his popularity did not extend beyond the ANC.
"You see,
I am facing these challenges. I have received many messages from people saying
'Build your own party, Msholozi. We will join and be with you'.
"I joined
the ANC to work for the people. Whether I hold a high position or not, I will
still continue working for the people until I die. Regarding my current
problems, I will solve them within the ANC.
"I can't talk about the
cases because they are still pending in court. When the court cases are over, I
will sit down with my organisation and solve them because I believe that things have to be corrected. I won't go outside," Zuma said
in isiZulu to rapturous applause.
The country's former deputy president
was due to appear on a rape charge in the Johannesburg High Court today. He is
also facing a corruption case in the Durban High Court.
A senior Zuma
clan member, Silas Zuma, told The Star yesterday that several members of the
Zuma family would support him at the high court this morning.
"We welcome
the opportunity for Jacob to answer for himself. We have been calling for
matters to be handled in this way and not in a trial by media," said Silas Zuma,
adding that Zuma was "still the Jacob we know".
Jacob Zuma spent the day
before his trial attending the funeral of George Nene, the chairperson of the
Gauteng branch of the Friends of Jacob Zuma Trust Fund, in Joburg before
attending the rally.
"The family are giving him a breather , but he knows
that we are behind him, and he is eager for his trial to begin," Silas Zuma
said.
Jacob Zuma yesterday took a swipe at disgruntled ANC members
contesting local government elections as independent candidates.
"The
independents went to the ANC half-heartedly; they were not committed to the ANC
- they just wanted positions. The day they were told that they don't have
positions, they left.
"They won't get elected, they will be left out in
the cold. They will come back running, asking for forgiveness," he
said.
He reminded the audience that Bantu Holomisa was popular when he
left the ANC to form the United Democratic Movement, but was not doing well with
his new party.
"It is not the individual that counts. No matter what
level [he is in] in the ANC, it is the ANC that counts. When people feel they
have a lot of support while in the ANC, they think they are popular. This is a
big mistake," he said.
In response, Holomisa said Zuma might also be
expelled from the ANC. "If the ANC expels him after he has been found guilty, he
will also have to obey the constitution of the ANC. So he mustn't compare stones and apples.
"I didn't leave the ANC
on corruption-related issues," added Holomisa, who was expelled for putting the
party into disrepute after accusing Public Works Minister Stella Sigcau of
impropriety.
Jacob Zuma also accused the media of trying to determine who
should lead the ANC.
"(In the ANC) you can't say 'I want to be the
president' or 'I want to be the deputy president'. It is the ANC membership that
determines that) and not the media.
"You can't say because the
leadership of the ANC produces the president of the country, you need to
participate (in the debate). Join the ANC when you want to participate. Doors
are open," he said.
Zuma reiterated the importance of
a militant, vibrant youth to defend democracy
*1.
"Without a vocal youth we will never have a future. It is an
important element of any organisation, of any country, to have sharp and articulate brains that correct things, don't be
intimidated, raise your issues so that we don't commit mistakes," he
said.
Regarding the row over the appointment of Bernard Ngoepe as Zuma's
trial judge in his rape case, several legal experts interviewed by The Star said
it was unlikely that Zuma's lawyers would seek Judge
Ngoepe's recusal.
In August, Judge Ngoepe issued the search warrants to
the Scorpions that authorised the raid on the offices of Juleka Mahomed, Zuma's
Johannesburg attorney; the Durban offices of Michael Hulley, Zuma's attorney;
and the Pretoria offices of French arms dealer Thint and the home of its chief
executive, Pierre Moynot, in connection with Zuma's forthcoming trial on charges
of corruption.
Three months later, Mahomed brought a successful
application to have all documents and computers seized during the raid returned
to her.
Hulley and Thint have since brought similar applications in
Durban and Pretoria respectively.
It was speculated that the defence
might bring an application for the judge president's recusal - on the basis that
Zuma would feel prejudiced because the judge had allowed the search warrants,
seemingly making a prima facie decision about Zuma's culpability over the
alleged corruption.
One lawyer said: "The fact that a judge or
magistrate grants a subpoena for a search in no way demonstrates that he or she
has a predisposition against an accused."
Another legal expert said:
"A recusal application should only be launched if the
defence reasonably believes that the judge or magistrate hearing their
client's case will be biased against him or her."With acknowledgements to Moshoeshoe Monare,
Karyn
Maughan and The Star.
*1 cf. Business Day reports today
that "Zuma had called for a review of democracy in SA".
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/topstories.aspx?ID=BD4A154060