Lawyers for Jacob Zuma have asked Transvaal Provincial Division Judge President Bernard Ngoepe to recuse himself from the former deputy president’s rape trial.
Advocate Kemp Kemp said the reason for the recusal was because of past events, a reference to Ngoepe issuing the Scorpions a search warrant for several Zuma premises as well as those of his lawyers and associates.
The search warrants related to his corruption trial set for later this year.
Zuma entered the Johannesburg High Court just before 10am on Monday morning via a back door.
A crowd of supporters gathered in front of the building in Pritchard Street did not see Zuma and were still waiting for a glimpse of their hero, a South African Press Association reporter said.
Zuma entered the court room on the fourth floor of the building quietly and lifted his arms to acknowlegde supporters who stood up in the public gallery to greet him.
He then held his hands together, prayer like, and stood up again to acknowledge family members.
Zuma sat slightly away from the table where the accused normally sits.
His lawyers had arrived at court room 4E 20 minutes earlier.
”I’m ready to kick it,” said his senior counsel, Jerome Brauns.
”I’m okay,” said Thandanani Mbondwa, another member of the team.
They were followed by instructing attorney Michael Hulley.
About 30 policemen with batons lined the passage outside the court and more lined the inside.
Zuma aide Ranjeni Munusamy, the former reporter who set off a judicial inquiry into whether former head of public prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, was an apartheid spy, was also present in court.
Entry to the court was strictly controlled and journalists had display a pre-arranged access card.
‘Rape is always a crime’
Anti-rape and pro-Zuma protesters exchanged insults outside the court on Monday morning.
A small group of anti-rape protesters singing in Zulu asked in song ”Why are you playing around with your pants, now you have caused a problem”.
A pro-Zuma supporter, bearing a traditional shield and three sticks, pointed at them, chanting ”Look at those bitches”, in apparent response.
About 30 people, mostly women, were holding up placards reading ”Rape is always a crime”, ”Solidarity with women who speak out” and ”Silence does not equal consent.”
The protesters included members of People Opposed to Woman Abuse (Powa), the Gender Aids Forum, the Forum for the Empowerment of Women, a black lesbian group, and the Positive Women’s Network.
Powa public awareness manager Carrie Shelver earlier said they were there in support of survivors of sexual violence — and the complainant.
She said current legislation did not really provide for survivors of sexual violence.
”Survivors get very little support in South Africa,” she said.
Police said that by 11am altogether about 2 000 protesters, both against rape, and for Zuma, were present at the court. – Sapa