Zuma rape trial hears detailed evidence of history of sexual abuse

One of most bizarre trials in South African history completed its first five gruelling days in Johannesburg high court 4E this week.

It was a trial in which Jacob Zuma, the country's former deputy president, a presidential contender and a man set to stand trial for corruption, pleaded not guilty to having raped the 31-year-old daughter of a dead ANC comrade.

And, contrary to what she repeatedly told the court, Zuma said they had had consensual sex in the bedroom of his Forest Town, Johannesburg, home.

This, he claimed, had been preceded by a short massage session during which "baby oil" had been used. In addition, his counsel said on his behalf, Zuma had not used a condom even though the woman had repeatedly discussed with him that she was HIV-positive.

The complainant, on the other hand, said Zuma had come into the room where she was sleeping, opened her kanga (sarong), and pushed her legs apart with one knee. He then used both his hands to hold her hands down.

He said to her: "I told you I'd take care of you ... sweetheart. You are a real girl."

At some point Zuma "pecked" her on the lips and cheek. "When he was done, he got up and left."

The complainant said at first she lay on the bed and did nothing. Eventually she gathered her strength, found her kanga and drew it over her.

It was a trial during which the woman who has accused Zuma of rape told the court that she had been raped at least six times during her life. One of these rapes had allegedly been committed by her housemaster at a theological seminary.

This week Judge Willem van der Merwe heard the woman's mother say that, following her daughter's alleged rape, she had discussed in detail the terms of recompense with Zuma. These related, the mother said, to money both for a fence at the family home and for the daughter's further studies at university.

It was a week during which the complainant said that she had lied to two newspapers about whether she made a complaint of rape against Zuma because she had been told to do so by her police minder, a Superintendant Khan.

"She (Khan) said that I must call them and tell them I would take legal action if they continued with the story."

She said she then sent a text message that had been dictated to her to The Sunday Times. After speaking to that newspaper on the phone she was told to phone Independent Newspapers. Her minder, she said, gave her the number of Jeremy Gordin, a writer for the Independent Newspaper Group.

"She said I must tell him that the Sunday Times were in the process of printing a story in the newspaper and I must say I am the person in the story and that I denied everything."

Gordin, she said, asked her if he could print her name. She consulted Khan while they were on the phone and decided, yes, he could do so.

It was also a week in which Zuma's counsel told the court that Zuma's 20-year-old daughter, Duduzile, the only other person in the house that night besides Zuma and the complainant, would testify in due course that the complainant had been "inappropriately dressed" when she went to say goodnight to Zuma in his study - dressed only in her kanga with no underwear.

The complainant said that this was what she always wore when she went to bed and since she felt completely "at home" in Zuma's house, as she felt part of the family, there was no reason why she should not have worn it.

The complainant also told the court herself that, following her alleged rape, she sent a SMS to friends, saying: "I am very uncomfortable, umalume is starting to look at me sexually. There must be something in my drawers (underwear). The mothers must not know".

She said she had done this because she wanted them to know something had happened, but could not bring herself to tell them exactly what it was.

And it was a trial during which, in scenes eerily reminiscent of medieval pogroms against so-called witches, the complainant was burnt in effigy by a crowd shouting "Burn the bitch" and asking how much she had been paid to sell Zuma out.

Seldom have there been such offensive scenes.

With acknowledgement to Jeremy Gordin and Sunday Argus.