1942: Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is born in Inkandla, KwaZulu-Natal.
1959: At the age of 17, Zuma joins the African National Congress.
1960: The ANC is banned.
1962: Zuma becomes a member of Umkhonto weSizwe.
1963: While trying to leave the country, Zuma is arrested along with 45 other new Umkhonto weSizwe recruits in Zeerust. Convicted of aspiring to overthrow the government, Zuma is sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, served on Robben Island, along with Nelson Mandela.
1973-1975: After his release, Zuma begins helping mobilise internal resistance. He is instrumental in the re-establishment of the ANC structures in the then-Natal province (now KwaZulu-Natal).
1975: Zuma leaves South Africa. Based first in Swaziland and then in Mozambique, he deals with thousands of young exiles who left South Africa following the June 16 Soweto uprising.
1977: After living in several African countries while working for the ANC, he becomes a member of the ANC national executive committee.
1984: He fulfils the position of deputy chief representative of the ANC in Mozambique until the signing of the Nkomati Accord between the South African and Mozambique governments in 1984. He then becomes the chief representative of the ANC in Mozambique, crossing in and out of South Africa on a number of occasions.
1987: After pressure on the Mozambican government by then South African president PW Botha’s regime, Zuma is forced to leave Mozambique. He moves the ANC head office to Lusaka, Zambia, where he is appointed head of underground structures, and then chief of the intelligence department.
He also serves on the ANC’s political and military council after it was formed in the mid-1980s.
1990: The ANC is unbanned. Zuma returns to South Africa and is instrumental in the organising of the Groote Schuur Minute with the FW de Klerk regime and the ANC.
He is elected chairperson of the southern Natal region at the first regional congress of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal and takes a lead role in fighting violence in this region.
1991: Zuma is elected deputy secretary general of the ANC.
1994: Zuma is nominated as the ANC candidate for the premiership of KwaZulu-Natal. He is honoured with the Nelson Mandela Award for Outstanding Leadership in Washington, DC.
South Africa enjoys its first democratic elections. Zuma is appointed as a member of the executive committee for economic affairs and tourism for the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government. He is elected national chairperson for the ANC and chairperson of the ANC for KwaZulu-Natal.
1996: Zuma is re-elected as chairperson of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal.
1997: Zuma is elected deputy president of the ANC at the national conference held at Mafikeng in December.
1998: In June, Zuma divorces from Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who is currently the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
1999: Following South Africa’s second democratic elections, Zuma is appointed executive Deputy President of South Africa.
2001: In January, Bulelani Ngcuka, the national director of public prosecutions at the time, investigates both Zuma and the chief whip of the ANC, Tony Yengeni, after allegations of abuse of power are levelled against them. These concern improper influence in a controversial arms deal, and the question of financial benefit as a result of such influence. While Yengeni is found guilty, the case is dropped against Zuma, with Ngcuka stating “there was prima facie evidence of corruption, but insufficient to win the case in court”.
2003: In September, City Press newspaper publishes a sensational report under the headline: “Was Ngcuka a spy?”. Sunday Times reporter Ranjeni Munusamy passed on her story to rival City Press after her editor refused to publish it. Schabir Shaik, former transport minister Mac Maharaj and Vusi Mona, all facing investigation by Ngcuka, also start to made allegations that Ngcuka was once an apartheid spy against the ANC. In the much-publicised Hefer commission hearings, Judge Joos Hefer finds Ngcuka was “probably never” an apartheid spy. The Hefer Commission of Inquiry costs R1,9-million.
2004: In July, Ngcuka asks President Thabo Mbeki to be relieved of his position early.
Zuma becomes a key figure mentioned in the corruption trial of Durban businessman Schabir Shaik, his financial adviser, over the purchase by South Africa of some Valour-class patrol corvettes, a proposed waterfront development in Durban and lavish spending on Zuma’s residence in Nkandla.
2005: Shaik is found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison, with Judge Hillary Squires describing the relationship between Zuma and Shaik as “generally corrupt”.
On June 14, Mbeki relieves Zuma of his duties as deputy president. Mbeki tells a joint sitting of Parliament that “in the interest of the honourable deputy president, the government, our young democratic system and our country, it would be best to release the honourable Jacob Zuma from his responsibilities as deputy president of the republic and member of the Cabinet”. Read Mbeki’s full speech to Parliament.
Shortly thereafter, the National Prosecuting Authority announces it will charge Zuma with two counts of corruption.
Zuma’s successor, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, was minister of minerals and energy, and her appointment is widely welcomed by the business community.
Zuma’s corruption trial is to start in the high court on July 31 next year.
On December 06, following three weeks of investigations, Zuma was officially charged with the rape of a prominent HIV/Aids activist in his Forest Town, Johannesburg home. The woman, in her early thirties, reported the incident to police on November 4, two days after the alleged rape. Zuma maintains that he is innocent.
Click here to view a timeline of events during the Zuma rape trial.
(Sources: The Mail & Guardian, Mail & Guardian Online, ANC.org.za and Wikipedia)