ANC feels Zuma’s right are being violated

By Mishkah Anthony
1 August 2008

The African National Congress says in the eight-year-long pursuit of Jacob Zuma, the ANC president’s rights have repeatedly been violated.

Writing in this week’s ANC Today, the party’s deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe specifically fingers the National Prosecuting Authority.

He adds that Zuma has been subjected to a vicious and unrelenting trial by media, who found him guilty long before his corruption case had come to court.

As Zuma tries to stop the prosecution again on Monday, Motlanthe reiterates that the ANC seeks no special treatment for its president. It simply asks that he be treated fairly and justly.

UWC Political Scientist Keith Gotchalk says “the Zuma trail is clearly major issue for the ANC because, obviously any opposition party in the world will make that the leader of the ANC faces corruption charges, the core of its election campaign.”

Gotchalk says it will definitely be a huge challenge for the ANC, to minimise the hurt possibly caused by Zuma.

Gotchalk goes on to say “Zuma’s lawyers have bottomless pockets because of us taxpayers” the Political scientist says Zuma’s lawyers will certainly be able to protract the trail and all the subsequent appeals right throughout the twelve month election campaign and probably throughout the five years of his presidency.