He was found to have solicited bribes of R, a year for Zuma, who was later charged with corruption. This was followed by further charges relating to another arms deal.
But procedural irregularities and allegations of political interference meant none of these went to trial. He faced legal jeopardy from a different source in , tried for allegedly raping a year-old Aids activist whom he knew to be HIV-positive he said he believed a shower after sex would be adequate protection.
To deny her sex, that would have been tantamount to rape. Zuma was acquitted while the alleged victim was vilified, with Zuma and his supporters singing his favourite song, Lethu Mshini Wami Bring me my machine gun during and after the trial. The woman, later named as Fezekile Ntsukela Kuzwayo, fled into exile for safety. She returned after a decade and died in Thabo Mbeki had dumped Zuma as his deputy in and the long-time allies became enemies.
The paranoid Mbeki lacked the common touch and was oddly devoid of his former gracious charm, while Zuma was the opposite: friendly and humorous. By playing on popular concerns about service provision, crime, and Aids, and being chummy with the unions, the youth and the left, he won the backing of people who should have been more wary. Zuma defeated Mbeki for the ANC leadership in and became president in , remaining in office for nine years.
The Guptas fed his greed in return for state contracts, to the point that they offered cabinet positions to obedient hopefuls.
Eventually, Zuma over-reached. He dipped into state coffers to upgrade his house in Nkandla. Then he fired two finance ministers who would not do his bidding. Once this level of confidence is weakened, the ANC has no alternative but to take action. We appreciate the cooperation of Comrade Mbeki and the dignified manner with which he has conducted himself during this difficult situation. When he met with the President of the ANC on Friday morning, ahead of the NEC discussion, he said that as a disciplined cadre of the movement he would readily accept and abide by any decision of the organisation and subject himself to its wishes.
The ANC prides itself on having leaders who rise to the occasion, who put the organisation and the country first, no matter how challenging the circumstances may be. Comrade Mbeki will continue to be given tasks as a cadre and one of the senior leaders of the movement.
We are united in our appreciation of the important role that Comrade Mbeki has played in the organisation and broader liberation movement. The achievements of government during Comrade Mbeki's Presidency are impressive.
The ANC government has created conditions for a sustained expansion of the South African economy since the Second World War with the rate of growth averaging over 4. Government also scored several gains in the social arena such as increasing access to housing, water, education, electricity and other basic services. Comrade Mbeki also succeeded in placing Africa in the forefront of international debates.
He made his mark in promoting an African renewal as well as South-South cooperation, between our country and the developing world. In addition, our country made history as we joined the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member. The Mbeki administration, building on the legacy of our icon President Nelson Mandela, has definitely created a strong foundation for the ANC to successfully contest next year's elections. In light of this weekend's developments, we will do all in our power to ensure that stability is maintained in governance and service delivery.
The Speaker of the National Assembly has informed us that she has received the letter of resignation from President Mbeki. Working together with Parliament, we will ensure that the election of a new President takes place as speedily as possible.
The meeting was called after a high court judge accused Mbeki and senior justice officials of being part of an illegal conspiracy to charge Zuma with corruption for political ends. Last week, Mbeki had told the cabinet he would accept whatever decision the ANC made, while denying any involvement in the decision to prosecute Zuma.
One of the country's most respected former judges, Willem Heath, has called for the president, his former justice minister, Penuell Maduna, and the former chief prosecutor, Bulelani Ngcuka, to be charged with crimes for pursuing a political prosecution.
His call followed a ruling last week by a high court judge, Chris Nicholson, against the prosecution of Zuma, which he said was the result of "baleful political influence". Heath told a Johannesburg newspaper, the Mail and Guardian, that South Africans needed protection from the "systematic abuse, detailed in the judgment, of organs of state by the president and his purported henchmen.
Mbeki succeeded Nelson Mandela in and was due to stand down next year. During his time in office, Mbeki won praise for guiding the country's economy through a period of sustained growth but faced controversy over his insistence that that the HIV virus, which has infected more than 5 million South Africans, does not cause Aids. Some senior party officials said they would not support ousting Mbeki because of the damage it would do to the party.
Mbhazima Shilowa, the premier of Gauteng province, with Johannesburg and Pretoria at its heart, said that a no confidence vote would divide the ANC.
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