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South Africa: Top Court Sparks Upset Over Zuma, Mbeki

Cape Town — South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal has opened the way for prosecutors to reinstitute corruption charges against Jacob Zuma, the man selected by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) as the next president of the country.

In a ruling handed down on Monday, the court upheld an appeal by prosecutors against a lower court ruling which declared invalid on procedural grounds a decision to prosecute Zuma.

In overturning the ruling, the appeal court also rejected reasoning by the lower court judge which precipitated the dismissal of former president Thabo Mbeki last September. Referring to suggestions by the judge that there had been a political conspiracy against Zuma, the appellate judges said he had overstepped his authority by making findings unsupported by evidence.

However, the appeal judgment did not concern the legality of the ANC's decision to call on Mbeki to step down, nor of his resignation. It thus does not affect the position of President Kgalema Motlanthe, nominated by the ANC to fill Mbeki's position as president of South Africa until national elections expected in April this year.

But the judgment is likely to focus attention during the coming election campaign on the ANC's choice of a leader facing allegations of corruption as its presidential candidate. The issue was cited by ANC leaders who broke away to form a new party as a key consideration in their actions, and the ANC confirmed within minutes of the delivery of Monday's judgment that Zuma remained their choice as president.


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Comments 1 to 5 of 5 Post a comment

  • abhu
    Jan 12 2009, 08:05

    let jz face the music. anyway if he is innocent the trial will boost his image.the anc should recluse jz from taking part in party affairs till he is proven innocent otherwise by retaining him as their candidate for the April elections they are doing themselves a disservice. no wise person would vote 4 someone who doesn't have a clear future. the decision by anc 2 stick with zuma shows the growing man worshiping cult in south african politics. this will not do the nation any good . the same has happened in zim now bob wont move out of office.

  • Omugabe
    Jan 12 2009, 12:11

    You make no sense! Africans should continue to embrace Zuma. What they should not embrace is any ruling from the aparthied in-justice system, which is still dominated by the criminal invaders. The real criminals in South Africa are the invaders from Europe, who continue to monopolize and control African Lands, Wealth & Resources. And the criminal invaders are playing Africans against Africans, even as they continue to live in the splendor of African loot and Africans live in squalor in THEIR OWN indigenous space! Africa for Africans!

  • gray1359
    Jan 12 2009, 21:42

    I am deeply upset and disappointed at your reaction. I am black and African to use the so called African term. It is time for Africa and indeed south africa to wake and move beyond these name calling and disgused reverse racism. What is white injustice in a black man ruling south africa in the past eight years and not delivering any concrete change in the quality of life of its peopel? what does white man's injustice have to do with sleeping around and been promiscous? what has white injustice got to do with tribalism and nepotism creeping into ANC as it destroyed other African country? I hope south african's wake and take advantage of this new reality and develop their country carrying everone along as any one born in africa is an African regardless of skin color. Enough is Enough. Enough of this stupid comrade talks when they use cheap marxist and lenninst talk to exploit the people and enrich themselves. How about comrades JZ, Sexwale, Ramaphosa to name a few. These so called comrade in talk only, are all multi-millioniares while their people starve. Please give me a break comrade indeed. The ANC and South Africa are bigger than Jacob Zuma. I believe South Africans I have come to respect will avoid the route Zimbabwe took with Mugabe and remain the beacon of Africa and black people all over the world.

    Thanks

  • Omugabe
    Jan 12 2009, 12:05

    It's the old evil European 'divide and dominate' game! These effort of the criminal invaders from Europe is to create instability in the ANC. Unfortunately Zuma was too quick to react at the first ruling. And Mbeki shouldn't have shown regard for the white in-justice system by appealing. Mbeki's appeal should be to HIS FELLOW MEMBERS of ANC.

    Africans SHOULD NOT allow the devilish 'divide and rule' in-justice system of the criminal invaders to decide on African fate.

    Zuma should forge ahead whatever the eurocentric court decides.

    The in-justiuce system in South African needs to be abandoned in favor of an AFRICAN JUSTICE SYSTEM, as in Zimbabwe.

    The racist and criminal invaders ARE STILL using the evil eurocentric institutions to continue their domination of Africans in their indigenous space. Away with them!

    Africans cannot steal their own African wealth!

    The real thieves in South African are the criminal invaders fron Europe. They are the ones who should be hauled into African courts and made to surrender their stolen African loot. The criminal invaders came to Africa WITH NOTHING. And they need to be dispossessed and charged with generations of Crimes Against Africans!

  • theo.lyimo
    Jan 13 2009, 04:56

    You surprise me with this kind of language which is typical of President Mugabe.