Newly elected African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma was facing the prospect on Thursday of being slapped with corruption charges as he prepared to deliver a keynote address at the party’s national conference in Polokwane.
Less than two days after Zuma’s dramatic victory in the ruling-party leadership contest over the incumbent president Thabo Mbeki, the acting head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said enough evidence had been gathered to charge him at the end of a marathon corruption investigation.
”The investigation is complete. All that we are doing now is to tie the loose ends,” acting national director of public prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe told 702 Talk Radio. ”The investigation, with the evidence we have now, points to a case that can be taken to court,” he added.
Mpshe said a final decision on when to take action on Zuma was ”imminent”. Asked whether charges would be filed soon, he replied: ”Yes, that’s my impression.”
Zuma’s financial adviser Schabir Shaik is currently serving a 15-year prison sentence after he was found guilty of soliciting bribes on behalf of Zuma.
Initial corruption charges against Zuma were dropped last September when a judge threw them out of court after it emerged the state did not have enough evidence to charge him, but it continued with its investigation.
The prospects of Zuma being brought to court climbed sharply last month when he lost a bid to have a series of search warrants declared illegal.
Zuma’s keynote address at the Polokwane conference was scheduled for mid-morning on Thursday, but the party was still locked in commission discussions on various policy issues. The newly elected national executive committee also still had to be announced, with some ANC staff telling the Mail & Guardian Online that vote-counting was going very slowly and results would only be available by 9pm on Thursday evening.
Therefore, Zuma’s address might only come much later in the day. He is also expected to speak to the media at a press conference following the closing session of the conference.
Scorpions
Zuma’s supporters have portrayed the investigation, which is centred on a 1999 arms deal, as part of a conspiracy being waged by the elite Scorpions police unit, which was set up by Mbeki.
With Zuma supporters now holding the balance of power within the ANC, the party voted on Wednesday night for the disbandment of the unit — although such a decision has to be taken by Parliament.
New ANC treasurer general Mathews Phosa, an ally of Zuma, said the cloud hanging over Zuma’s head was ”a cloud manipulated by the Scorpions”, which he referred to as a ”hit squad”.
The fresh row over the corruption inquiry is likely to take the shine off Zuma’s victory address in Polokwane, which will signal the close of an often acrimonious conference that began on Sunday.
Zuma is likely to address concerns that his support from the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of South African Trade Unions during the campaign will not leave him in hock to his allies.
He is also expected to address deep divisions left behind after his acrimonious tussle with Mbeki for the reins of the party that has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994.
Following Zuma’s victory, commentators are predicting turbulent times ahead for South Africa with two centres of power in the Union Buildings and Luthuli House in Johannesburg.
While the conference has exposed deep divisions between rival ANC factions, Zuma said before the gathering that he expected the party to rally behind the leader in its aftermath. — AFP
