Zuma fans march outside court
2006-09-05 07:58
Pietermaritzburg - A few hundred supporters of Jacob Zuma marched up and down Pietermaritzburg's Church street on Tuesday ahead of the former deputy president's court appearance.
"Fight conspiracy and demand justice," read one of the banners the protesters carried.
Another read: "Can Pikoli understand the word justice? No!", referring to the National Director of Public Prosecutions Vusi Pikoli.
One of the protesters shouted "Tutu must apologise," as he went past journalists and police.
In August Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said in a lecture that Zuma, as former head of the moral regeneration movement, should withdraw as a potential presidential candidate after having unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman half his age.
He also criticised him for not controlling his supporters at his Johannesburg High Court rape trial earlier this year.
A vendor outside the court, Masosha Mbambo told Sapa that he and his fellow business people were not sure what to expect as the day went by.
"Last time we lost a lot of money as police chased us away from the court. Today we are not sure if Zuma supporters would actually buy or if they will get violent," said Mbambo who sells snacks and drinks.
On Tuesday Zuma's legal team will try to have his corruption case thrown out of court while State will seek a postponement of the trial until next year.
Zuma's co-accused, the two Thint companies, would also be seeking to have their case thrown out of court. Zuma is accused of having allegedly accepted a R500 000 a year bribe from Thint in exchange for protection into the arms deal probe.
- SAPA