Zuma walks out of ANC meeting

ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma reportedly left the party's National Executive Committee meeting long before its conclusion yesterday. City Press reports that his official return to the party following his acquittal on a rape charge turned out not to be a very welcome one, as he spent most of yesterday sitting in a waiting room while NEC members discussed the trial and its implications for the party. Sources close to Zuma say he had been unhappy to learn that discussions on the trial were going to form part of the meeting. He decided to leave after lunch yesterday when he realised that the item was still on the agenda.