Publication: Cape Argus
Issued:
Date: 2006-02-13
Reporter: Sapa
Reporter:
| Publication |
Cape Argus
|
| Date |
2006-02-13
|
|
Reporter
|
Staff Reporters &
Sapa |
|
Web Link
|
www.capeargus.co.za
|
Alleged
victim arrives at court under guard
Jacob Zuma was set to come face
to face today with the woman who accuses him of rape, after she arrived at a
heavily guarded Johannesburg High Court for his trial.
A scarf covering
her face, the 31-year-old Aids activist, who may not be named, was flanked by
armed guards and accompanied by an unidentified woman.
By 5.30am a huge
police contingent was guarding the cordoned-off court precinct.
Riot
police in bulletproof vests as well as plainclothes officers and metro police
personnel were posted everywhere.
Emergency services were on standby and
a large media contingent had set up their equipment in front of the
building.
Scores of local and foreign journalists were on
hand.
Streets around the court were closed by barricades.
At about
6.20am, a small group of people wearing "100% Jacob Zuma" T-shirts were chanting
Zuma's support song, Awuleth'umshini wami (Bring My Machinegun).
At 7am
the alleged victim arrived and was rushed into the court building by her police
guard.
A few minutes later more police arrived.
Zakhele Zuma, one
of Zuma's supporters, said: "We are here to support JZ, because we are against
what is happening to him.
"This is a political issue, because Zuma is a
Zulu boy and the Xhosas do not want anybody who is non-Xhosa to lead the
people.
"Jacob Zuma is the one who fought against children and women
abuse. This is a political scandal and a certain element within government
structures have framed him."
At 7.30am police with a sniffer dog checked
for explosives around the court precinct, as the crowd continued to
swell.
The complainant was not what bystanders Peter
Moreki and Ntombi Mgidlane had been expecting.
Moreki had been
expecting a model; Mgidlane "a woman of Winnie
Madikizela-Mandela's stature".
Zuma
supporters Themba Xono and Solomon Ntobong said they had been waiting outside
the court since 5.30am.
"We have faith in Zuma. It's going to be a
peaceful demonstration and a lot more people are coming from around the
country," they said.
The trial was expected to get under way by
10am.
Meanwhile a group of Jacob Zuma supporters, identifying themselves
as former ANC struggle fighters, vowed to fight to ensure he became South
Africa's president.
They came from Vosloorus on the East Rand to support
their hero at the High Court.
"The president (Thabo Mbeki) and his
executive do not want Zuma to be president," one of the group, Joseph Dlokotho,
said. "Zuma is going to win the case and if he does not, we will fight for him
to be president."
The group claimed that the rape case was part of a
conspiracy to prevent Zuma from becoming president. They alleged Mbeki and his
executive had not been chosen by the people.
"The president and his
executive now have a problem because the people want Zuma," Dlokotho
said.
According to the group, more than 5 000 people, some from as far
away as Durban, were expected to attend the trial.
There was support for
the accuser outside court by a group of anti-rape protesters.
They
displayed placards saying "Rape is always a crime", "Solidarity with women who
speak out" and "Silence does not equal consent".
People Opposed to Woman
Abuse (Powa) public awareness manager Carrie Shelver said they were there in
support of survivors of sexual violence - and the complainant. Current
legislation did not provide adequately for survivors of sexual violence, she
said.
Police estimated that about 200 protesters for
each side were outside the court.
With acknowledgements to Cape Argus.
*1 'Twill be a season of the non-sequitur.
May
everyone be spared, especially the Complainant.