Africa and its Issues- Why Have We Ignored Africa? Message Board

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Strategies & Market Trends : Africa and its Issues- Why Have We Ignored Africa?

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From: Dale Baker	12/15/2007 9:30:54 AM
	of 1267

S. African authorities file court papers against Zuma Sat 15 Dec 2007, 11:01 GMT By Muchena Zigomo JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Days before Jacob Zuma was expected to become the next leader of South Africa's ruling ANC, legal authorities have filed court documents they say contain new evidence against him in a corruption case. The Directorate of Special Operations has filed an affidavit in the Constitutional Court containing what it called substantial new evidence that Zuma had received larger payments in a corruption case than originally thought. "The extent and gravity of the charges has grown...," said the affidavit, which was a response to an appeal by Zuma. "The payments based on the old and the new evidence are therefore more than three times greater than those based on the old evidence alone." Zuma appears headed for victory after taking a strong lead in branch nominations over his rival President Thabo Mbeki in the race to lead the African National Congress. A win would virtually assure him the South African presidency in the 20O9 general election because of the ANC's electoral dominance. The party will elect a new leader during a December 16-20 congress. A vote was expected on Monday. Zuma has made a dramatic political comeback despite the corruption allegations and a rape trial in which he was acquitted in 2006. The latest legal push against him could give Mbeki political ammunition but analysts say Mbeki is unlikely to break Zuma's momentum. If Zuma is re-charged with graft, it raises the prospect South Africa's future president could be jailed long before he is sworn in. Zuma has said if he wins the ANC'S top job, he would step down only if a court proves he is guilty. In 2005, Zuma's former financial advisor Schabir Shaik was found guilty of trying to solicit a 500,000 rand ($72,500) a year bribe for Zuma from French arms company Thint in return for protecting it from an investigation into a massive arms deal arranged by South Africa in the late 1990s. Another corruption count on which he was convicted said Shaik had paid Zuma 1.3 million rand in bribes to induce him to use his political influence to further Shaik's business interests. The fraud conviction related to accounting for these payments. Prosecutors later filed charges against Zuma himself, accusing him of receiving bribes from Thint. The case was dropped but prosecutors have reopened their investigation of Zuma in that case. Shaik has lost his final appeal against fraud and corruption charges and a 15-year prison sentence.

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