Former deputy president Jacob Zuma has reiterated his denial of rape allegations or any conduct that might compromise an investigation.
”Mr Zuma repeats his denial of the allegations in the strongest possible terms and denies further that he has engaged in any conduct which might compromise any investigation into these allegations,” his lawyer, Michael Hulley, said in a statement.
”We acknowledge the law-enforcement agencies as the appropriate organ to investigate allegations of such a serious nature.”
Hulley could not be reached telephonically to confirm whether an official complaint had been laid with the police.
”We have taken the view not to respond to claims by unofficial and undisclosed sources, lest it has as its result the undermining of the rule of law and confidence in the criminal justice system,” he said in the statement.
”The recent allegations of rape as reported in the media against Mr Zuma remain a matter of grave concern.”
The Star newspaper reported on Tuesday that a rape complaint had been laid against Zuma, but that the charge was ”flimsy”.
This followed a weekend report in the Sunday Times that Zuma allegedly raped a family friend at his Forest Town, Johannesburg, home on November 2.
The woman, whom the newspaper did not name, apparently reported the alleged incident to authorities two days later at the insistence of a doctor.
She would not confirm the allegation, the Sunday Times said.
Beeld newspaper and The Sunday Independent named the alleged victim as Fezeka Khuzwayo. Beeld said she was a 31-year-old, HIV-positive Aids activist.
The Star on Tuesday quoted ”impeccable sources” as confirming that a complaint had been laid at the Johannesburg family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit of the police, and was being probed.
A source reportedly described the complaint as ”flimsy, riddled with contradictions and won’t hold water”.
The unit declined to comment on the matter.
”We don’t know anything,” second-in-command Captain Elsa Hutcheons said.
National police headquarters has consistently declined to issue any statements on the matter.
The Star also reported that Zuma and KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial minister for economic affairs, Zweli Mkhize, met the alleged rape victim’s mother over the weekend to discuss the matter.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions on Monday criticised the Sunday Times for publishing rape claims from ”faceless sources” against Zuma.
Hulley said on Monday that Zuma was considering action against the newspaper, which has defended its story. — Sapa