Former deputy president acquitted of rape

A man who once seemed in line to be South Africa’s next president was acquitted of rape today in the country’s most politically charged trial since the end of apartheid.

Supporters erupted into boisterous celebrations, but Jacob Zuma still faces trial in July on separate corruption charges, accusations supporters say were part of a conspiracy against him, and his political future was in question.

Trial testimony had riveted the nation, focusing attention on its high rate of rape and raising questions about the government’s ability to prevent the spread of Aids in a country with six million HIV infected people, the highest number in the world.

The accuser was a HIV-positive Aids activist.

Testimony from Zuma, once a top official in the government’s campaign against Aids, had raised questions about his attitude toward women, his understanding of Aids and ultimately whether he has the judgment to lead the country.

Judge Willem van der Merwe, in a 174-page verdict that took some six hours to read and was broadcast live on television and radio, held that Zuma’s accuser was not credible, had lied and had made a false rape claim, possibly because trauma in her past may have led her to find “any sexual behaviour threatening”.

Zuma remained impassive as the verdict was given, but his supporters erupted, cheering and ululating, clapping Zuma and the back and shaking hands while the judge signalled for order.

Women’s activists in court were in tears.

Outside, about 5,000 pro-Zuma demonstrators cheered and danced in the streets.

Zuma later addressed supporters outside. Speaking in his native Zulu, he thanked his supporters for their loyalty, accused the South African press of prejudging him and said he believed some of the coverage had been directed by his political foes.

Zuma has consistently protested his innocence on both the rape and corruption charges, maintaining all the accusations resulted from a political conspiracy by unidentified people within the ruling party to derail his bid to succeed President Thabo Mbeki in 2009.

Mbeki is barred by the constitution from running for a third term

Mbeki has been vilified by Zuma supporters ever since he fired the deputy president because of the corruption charges. Mbeki’s spokesman, Mukoni Ratshitanda, said: “The presidency respects the independence of the judiciary and accepts the verdict.”

Van der Merwe, in his step-by-step analysis of the evidence and the testimony, ruled it was clear that the woman could not be believed. He also said Zuma’s testimony was “clear and convincing” and that his version of events was credible.

Zuma was accused of raping a 31-year-old HIV-positive Aids activist and family friend at his Johannesburg home last November.

Zuma acknowledged having sex with the woman, but insisted it was consensual.

The woman has testified she did not fight or scream for help because she froze when faced with advances from the man she regarded as a father. She said she would never have agreed to having sex without a condom.

While the judge found Zuma’s version convincing, he still chastised him and said both Zuma and his accuser were to blame for what happened.

“The accused should not have had sexual intercourse with a person so many years younger than himself, who furthermore had been the child of a comrade,” said the judge.

Noting Zuma testified he did not use a condom though he knew the woman carried the Aids virus, the judge said: “It is totally unacceptable that a man should have unprotected sex with a person other than his regular partner and definitely not with a person who to his knowledge is HIV-positive.

"I do not even want to comment on the effect of the shower after having had unprotected sex.”

Zuma testified he had taken a shower after sex because he believed it reduced the risk of infection.

Aids experts belittled that.

Zuma nonetheless remains a hero in the eyes of many South Africans.

During apartheid Zuma was imprisoned on Robben Island and then later from exile headed the military wing of the African National Congress.

He rose to the upper echelon of the governing party despite being denied by apartheid the chance for higher education.

He was seen as a man of the people, one who fought for the common man and who had the powerful support of the ANC Youth League, the South African Congress of Trade Unions and South African Communist Party, influential members of the governing alliance.

Zuma testified that the woman, whom he had known since she was a small child, had encouraged him with mobile phone messages and flirtatious behaviour and did not resist his advances.

Zuma also testified that he believed the woman indicated her desire for sex by wearing a knee-length skirt and later a kanga, a traditional Africa wrap.

Doctors and health activists fear Zuma’s testimony could undermine years of prevention campaigns against a virus that has infected up to six million South Africans, the highest number in any country in the world.

Women’s groups said the case has increased awareness of rape in South Africa, where reported rape is at 114 cases per 100,000 people, compared to a rate of 32 per 100,000 in the United States.

But the woman who brought the charges was heckled as she arrived in court and the aggressive cross-examination about her sexual history has prompted concern the trial will deter other women from reporting rape.

The woman has been in a witness-protection programme since her allegations were made public.

Her mother’s house has been ransacked twice and pro-Zuma demonstrators have burned her picture outside the courthouse.

South African media reported that she is likely to be given a new home abroad because of the strength of feeling against her.