Fraud trial dogs South Africa’s heir apparent

DURBAN – The man widely tipped as South Africa’s next leader, Deputy President Jacob Zuma, will be far from a court in Durban today as a trial starts that could determine his political future.

Zuma, South Africa’s second most powerful politician and long expected to take over from President Thabo Mbeki in 2009, has not been charged in the fraud case against his one-time financial adviser Schabir Shaik. But the 62-year-old Zuma will nevertheless be in the spotlight as prosecutors present charges of corruption and bribery against Shaik in a multi-billion dollar arms deal.”The trial that begins on Monday could be said to be very much about who the country’s next president will be,” Johannesburg’s Star newspaper said in an editorial amid a flurry of news reports on the contents of the charge sheet.Zuma is officially scheduled to be busy with government business today is not expected in court.Through his spokeswoman he repeated that all accusations of corruption against him were “baseless and untruthful”.But these have been persistent.South Africa’s then top prosecutor, Bulelani Ngcuka, said last year there was a prima facie corruption case against Zuma, but not enough evidence to charge him.Zuma denied any wrongdoing and accused prosecutors of subjecting him to “trial by media” and damaging his reputation through leaks and innuendo.”Zuma’s name will not be cleared except in a narrow or technical sense …not in the way it needs to be if he is to enjoy legitimacy as a presidential candidate,” said Professor Tom Lodge of Johannesburg’s University of the Witwatersrand.- Nampa-ReutersBut the 62-year-old Zuma will nevertheless be in the spotlight as prosecutors present charges of corruption and bribery against Shaik in a multi-billion dollar arms deal.”The trial that begins on Monday could be said to be very much about who the country’s next president will be,” Johannesburg’s Star newspaper said in an editorial amid a flurry of news reports on the contents of the charge sheet.Zuma is officially scheduled to be busy with government business today is not expected in court.Through his spokeswoman he repeated that all accusations of corruption against him were “baseless and untruthful”.But these have been persistent.South Africa’s then top prosecutor, Bulelani Ngcuka, said last year there was a prima facie corruption case against Zuma, but not enough evidence to charge him.Zuma denied any wrongdoing and accused prosecutors of subjecting him to “trial by media” and damaging his reputation through leaks and innuendo.”Zuma’s name will not be cleared except in a narrow or technical sense …not in the way it needs to be if he is to enjoy legitimacy as a presidential candidate,” said Professor Tom Lodge of Johannesburg’s University of the Witwatersrand.- Nampa-Reuters