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Former South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma chants slogans outside the Pietermaritzburg high court, on September 5, 2006.
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters):
South African prosecutors have ordered African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma to stand trial on corruption charges, his lawyer told the South African Broadcasting Corp. yesterday.
Zuma was elected leader of the African National Congress earlier this month and prosecuting him could deepen divisions within the party and derail his hopes of succeeding President Thabo Mbeki, who must step down in 2009.
Defence lawyer Michael Hulley told the public broadcaster Zuma would face charges in a high court on August 14. Zuma has denied any wrongdoing.
Earlier, South Africa's 702 Talk Radio reported Zuma was facing charges of racketeering, tax evasion and corruption. It cited unnamed officials in the ANC, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Zuma camp.
Hulley, other Zuma aides and officials with the ANC and NPA were unavailable for comment when contacted yesterday evening.
The NPA has been investigating allegations that Zuma accepted bribes and committed fraud in connection with an arms deal involving a subsidiary of a French company.
The case against the populist Zulu politician collapsed last year due to procedural matters, but the NPA said it would continue investigating.
Zuma was fired as the country's deputy president in 2005 as a result of the corruption scandal.
Zuma's supporters have described the corruption case as a conspiracy by his political enemies to deny him the presidency.
Electoral dominance
The ANC has been in power since the end of apartheid in 1994 and its electoral dominance virtually guarantees that its presidential candidate will become the country's next leader.
Mbeki, praised by business for pursuing centrist investor-friendly policies, has vowed to continue leading the government despite being defeated in his bid to win a third term as ANC leader at a December 16-20 leadership congress.
Zuma, who was acquitted of separate rape charges in 2006, won about 60 per cent of the votes cast by delegates.
