”What rape?” asked the headline of the Sowetan on Monday, in a report on allegations that former deputy president Jacob Zuma sexually assaulted a family friend staying over at his house.
”Confusion as Zuma and alleged victim strongly deny claims of sexual attack,” continued its strap line, with an inside column by Justice Malala suggesting both Zuma and President Thabo Mbeki resign for showing ”deep failure of leadership”.
The claim has renewed tensions in the African National Congress and is likely to derail conciliatory talks between Zuma and Mbeki, opined The Star and the Cape Times.
The Daily News in Durban, where Zuma was handed his indictment on Saturday, reported that supporters believe the reports are part of a smear campaign.
It quoted the South African Communist Party in KwaZulu-Natal as saying that while it is still waiting for the full facts of the matter, it is ”difficult not to believe that this was a smear campaign against Zuma”.
Beeld and Die Burger led Monday’s newspapers with the headline ”Rape storm rages around Zuma and Aids activist”.
Beeld also carried a black-and-white photograph of the woman, quoted by The Sunday Independent as denying the claims.
Next to her picture was a box with details of her background, both as an Aids activist and as an exile before 1994.
In the second paragraph of Beeld‘s main article was a denial made on behalf of Zuma by his lawyer.
”Fact and fiction amid innuendo and rumour”, was the headline atop Business Day‘s page-three article.
It stated that as the fallout around the ANC deputy president intensifies, ”trust is likely to be a major casualty”.
”Did he or did he not?” asked the mass-circulation Daily Sun, under the headline: ”Zuma to take legal action?”.
Newly launched Nova consigned the Zuma saga to page two, where it proclaimed: ”No answers in Zuma rape claim”.
The Eastern Cape’s Herald Online wrote that Zuma has hit back at the allegations, claiming he is the victim of a witch-hunt connected to power battles within the ANC.
”What can be inferred from all this is that it points to a witch-hunt,” Zuma’s lawyer, Michael Hulley, told the Herald.
”The matter is disconcerting and has no factual basis. [The rape charge] has not been confirmed by the South African police and no confirmation was made by the National Prosecuting Authority,” he added.
The Dispatch Online had the Zuma story as its sixth item, leading with a story about Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter.
The police again refused to comment on any aspects of the story.
”The position of the [South African Police Service] has not altered and I will not be responding to your questions,” South African Police Service director Sally de Beer said in reply to the South African Press Association’s written questions.
”I work in terms of a police standing order which instructs media-liaison officers on policy for media liaison.”
Victims of a sexual offence cannot be named at any stage of criminal justice proceedings. Exceptions are made if victims allow their names to be published, said De Beer.
A person accused of a sexual crime cannot be named before pleading to the charges. — Sapa