Zuma to hear this week if he will face rape charges

Observers expect more political upheavals this week as former deputy president Jacob Zuma waits to hear whether he is to be charged for rape. There appears to be a clear switch in the strong support that Zuma has been enjoying since being sacked by President Thabo Mbeki. The South African Communist Party indicated at the weekend that while it still supported Zuma in what it terms the difficult time he is facing, he is not their candidate to succeed Mbeki. SACP deputy general secretary Jeremy Cronin told the media yesterday that the party had not discussed the alleged rape charges against Zuma, but that the SACP had expressed its deep concern at the escalation of violence against the vulnerable members of our society.