African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Jacob Zuma asked to be dismissed from the Cabinet in 2005, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota said in an interview published in the Times on Friday.
Lekota told the newspaper on Thursday that the ANC could not ”keep quiet” about the truth anymore.
Lekota said Zuma asked to be dismissed rather than resign after his financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, was found guilty of fraud and corruption.
In a meeting Mbeki and Zuma discussed the matter — given the provisions of the Constitution — and agreed that Zuma could no longer maintain his position as deputy president of the country.
The two men then briefed the extended national working committee.
”… in that briefing they said the president had suggested that perhaps the deputy president should resign.
”But comrade Zuma prevailed on the president by saying: ‘Rather you dismiss me, because if I resign it might suggest that I’m admitting guilt, when I’m not. Therefore, the best thing is that you dismiss me’.”
Lekota said the speech Mbeki read in Parliament on June 14 2005 announcing his deputy’s dismissal had first been read and approved by Zuma.
He said a week later Zuma was reportedly claiming his dismissal was a conspiracy against him.
Lekota said Zuma has never told the ANC who hatched the conspiracy.
”We cannot keep quiet about these things any more. We have to tell the truth and people must respond to that truth, otherwise history will judge us very badly. People are going to wake up to the truth and the truth must be its own defence.
”While we were busy working in the government, we did not realise that lies were being spread about us — lies were being spread about the president — lies were being spread about the ANC. — Sapa