President Thabo Mbeki is expected to name South Africa’s new deputy president on Wednesday.
Bheki Khumalo, Mbeki’s spokesperson, said on Tuesday that Mbeki will announce changes to his Cabinet after meeting his ministers in Cape Town on Wednesday.
Government spokesperson Joel Netshitenzhe said Mbeki would make a ”relevant announcement” with regard to changes in his Cabinet.
When asked if the announcement would include that of a new deputy president, Khumalo said: ”I assume it will.”
Last week Mbeki sacked his deputy, Jacob Zuma. Zuma will appear in court on two corruption charges next Wednesday, the National Prosecuting Authority said on Tuesday.
”Deputy president Jacob Zuma will appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court next Wednesday at 9am,” NPA spokesperson Makhosini Nkosi said.
The charges followed a finding by the Durban High Court of a ”generally corrupt” relationship between Zuma and his friend and financial adviser Schabir Shaik, during Shaik’s fraud and corruption trial.
Shaik was sentenced in effect to 15 years in prison.
Zuma was then relieved of his position as deputy president by Mbeki in a special sitting of Parliament.
A survey by polling company Markinor revealed that Finance Minister Trevor Manuel, Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota are among top potential presidential candidates, South African Broadcasting Corporation news reported on Tuesday.
In a statement, Zuma welcomed the NPA’s decision to prosecute him as it afforded him ”an opportunity to respond to, and clarify the allegations that have been made against me over a period of time”.
The presidency said in a statement that Pikoli had informed President Thabo Mbeki of the development.
”The president hopes that all South Africans will allow the law to take its course,” the presidency said.
The ANC National Working Committee said it had accepted Zuma’s request to ”withdraw his participation from all ANC structures pending the completion of the legal process”.
Zuma will however remain ANC deputy president. – Sapa