”Does Thabo Mbeki want to be president for a third time? Does he?” shouted a furious Esther Lunga, a member of the crowd that gathered outside the Johannesburg High Court on Monday in solidarity with Jacob Zuma as his rape trial began. ”Well tell him we are sick of him, tell him that! Tell him we still believe JZ will be president!”
Interviews with about 40 crowd members highlighted the close connection between support for Zuma and hatred of President Mbeki’s leadership style, which, they said, had alienated them from the African National Congress.
But the interviews also revealed that a large proportion of the 400-strong crowd — perhaps as many as two-thirds — had been bussed in from KwaZulu-Natal, an indication that Zuma’s support is increasingly confined to that region.
Kaizer Mohau, the Gauteng spokesperson for the Friends of the Jacob Zuma Trust, said the ANC Youth League had paid for the three buses, a claim that Zizi Kodwa, the league’s spokesperson, later denied, saying people had paid their own way.
Kodwa intermittently addressed the crowd during the day, encouraging them with freedom songs.
It also became apparent that the majority of Zuma supporters outside the court were unemployed. Only 13 of those interviewed had jobs, including a priest, a barman, a nurse, two beauticians, a refuse collector, a taxidermist, two ward councillors, a steelworker, a process operator at ÂÂDanone/Clover, a supermarket teller and an insurance broker.
All shared the belief that the rape trial was part of a broader political conspiracy against Zuma engineered by Mbeki and his lieutenants. Some went as far as to say that if the court found Zuma guilty they would not accept the outcome.
”This man is not guilty — Mbeki and the Scorpions did not give him a chance. This is a plot against him, which will come to civil war,” said an angry Prince Seepe, from Katlehong.
”The corruption trial is debatable, but this rape trial is a plot to destroy Zuma’s political career,” said Mike Zuma, a student from KwaZulu-Natal.
”You can see this thing has been framed,” said Christoffel Khaneale from Soweto.
Jacob Allans, also from Soweto, said it was clear Mbeki was targeting Zuma. ”What about that woman with the plane?” he shouted, referring to Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. ”Mbeki must hit both sides.”
A new T-shirt visible in Monday’s crowd spoke volumes. Below the words ”Amadoda aqatho amela amaqiniso [Real men stand up for the truth]” were the photographs of nine ANC leaders — Nelson Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Alfred Nzo, Kgalema Motlanthe, Walter Sisulu, Fikile Mbalula, Chris Hani, Albert Luthuli and Zuma. Mbeki’s picture was conspicuous by its absence.
A poster held by Bhampetshini Hzaca had Mandela telling Mbeki: ”Lalela ke mfana buyisa u Zuma [Listen my boy, bring back Zuma].”
”He’s a boy, he’s a fucking boy,” Hzaca shouted, referring to Mbeki.
Yet another poster protested against Luthuli House’s growing stranglehold on the party’s provincial and regional structures: ”Phansi [down with] NGC [national general council] prerogative. Phambili [forward with] NGC collective leadership.”
Some consider Zuma the only cure for their poverty. Gabriel Dichaba said he was in exile with Zuma and had been unemployed since 1997 when he left the defence force. ”He’s the only person we’re relying on. He’s the only person who can understand us,” he said.
Mbekeni Mdalose from Soweto said Zuma ”was always open, he understands the working class, and we believe in him”.
Others were convinced the ”plot” against Zuma was underscored by ÂÂethnicity. ”The ANC was established by Zulus, then the Xhosas took over and now they don’t want the Zulus back in the seat,” said Nkosinathi Zitha. ”So they bought that lady [the rape ÂÂcomplainant].”
A red mini bus taxi with ”super woofer” speakers began blaring the lyrics of the latest release of the popuÂÂlar Izingane Zo Ma band — ”The people want Zuma to lead, but in Parliament they don’t want him to” — and the crowd began bopping and jiving. The band’s controversial hit Letha Umshini Wami (Bring me my Machine Gun), which has become associated with Zuma’s struggles, was recently banned from SABC’s Zulu-medium station, Ukhozi FM.
”Our brothers are sitting in jail because of women like the [rape complainant] crying rape, rape, rape,” complained Ncamisile Maphalala waving her hand to the beat of the music. ”We really want rape explained to us. We women don’t know the meaning any more because anyone can call rape.”