Publication: The Citizen Issued: Date: 2008-07-25 Reporter: Chris Bathembu

Our Leader or Death - ANCYL

 

Publication 

The Citizen
Date

2008-07-25
Reporter Chris Bathembu

Web Link

www.thestar.co.za

 

Johannesburg - ANC Youth League (ANCYL) President Julius Malema and leaders of various ANC-aligned organisations, said yesterday that "only death" can stop them from ensuring that Jacob Zuma becomes the country's next President in 2009.

Jacob Zuma's allies were speaking ahead of Zuma's hearing, which resumes in the Pietermaritzburg High Court in two weeks' time.

The group warned that those behind a "political plot" against Zuma should not test their patience.

They have indirectly named President Thabo Mbeki as one of the people behind the plot.

"Don't push us too far," Malema said. "We are not going to tolerate any attempt to discredit the ANC president."

Young Communist League secretary-general Buti Manamela said there was no legal case against Zuma, only a "political case".

The case against Zuma was being "designed" by people in business, government, the judiciary and in the media, Malema charged.

The organisations that include the Student Congress, the ANC Women's League and Umkhonto We Sizwe Military Veterans will organise door-to-door campaigns in Pietermaritzburg in their fight to ensure a permanent stay of prosecution.

The campaign will also bring in religious leaders to pray for Zuma while signature campaigns will also be undertaken.

The group claims that Zuma has been a target of political malice "which has been veiled under the cloak of a justifiable legal process".

They claim the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has been behind this political malice and has pulled out all stops to taint Zuma's image.

They vow to do "all in our power" to ensure Zuma "comes out of the court smiling".

"The NPA has failed to produce a shred of evidence *2 in its indictment against Zuma on more than two occasions until they did so in December, after the ANC national conference," Manamela said.

He said the evidence given to the Ginwala Commission by suspended NPA head Vusi Pikoli "shows" that Mbeki "knew" about the raids on Zuma's lawyer, Michael Hurley's, offices in 2006.

"This reinforces our view of a political interference in the work of the NPA".

Zuma's legal team is expected to ask the court to put aside any prosecution of him permanently *4.

With acknowledgements to Chris Bathembu and The Citizen.


*1       Tough choice.


*2      In the history of South African jurisprudence seldom has the case been blessed with so much evidence *3.


*3      Now most of which is confirmed by the Supreme Court of Appeal and Constitutional Court as admissible.


*4      That's why the preferred choices are either the permanent stay of prosecution or the amnesty - not the trial.