Youth league vows to stand by Zuma

06 Sep 2007 16:38 - Staff Reporter

The African National Congress Youth League has vowed to stick by Jacob Zuma as its candidate for president of the country, even if new criminal charges were brought against him. "He is innocent until proven guilty ... until such time we will continue to support the deputy president," league president Fikile Mbalula said on Thursday.

The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) has vowed to stick by Jacob Zuma as its candidate for president of the country, even if new criminal charges were brought against him.

“He is innocent until proven guilty ... until such time we will continue to support the deputy president,” league president Fikile Mbalula said on Thursday.

The presidency of the African National Congress comes up for review at the national conference in Limpopo in December.

Mbalula was briefing reporters on the outcome of an ANCYL national executive meeting last week.

“As far as we are concerned, JZ could only be charged with stock theft, [or] I don’t know what else.”

Zuma faced two charges of corruption and one charge of fraud, both of which were dismissed in the Pietermaritzburg High Court in September 2006.

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The Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein reserved judgement on August 28 over a dispute as to whether to validate search-and-seizure raids on some of the former deputy president’s homes.

The National Prosecuting Authority has said it was awaiting the outcome of the appeal hearing before taking a decision on whether or not to bring new charges against Zuma.

ANCYL spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said if Zuma was re-charged “it could be another disaster or a waste of time”.

Secretary general Sihle Zikalala reiterated the ANCYL’s stance against the notion of the presidency of the ANC and that of the country being separated.—Sapa