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ANC: Zuma still our candidate

2009-01-12 11:43

Bloemfontein - Jacob Zuma remains the ANC's choice for president of the republic, the ruling party said on Monday after a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling opened the way for Zuma to be recharged.

"The ANC reiterates its position that the judgment will not affect the decision of the ANC that Zuma be the ANC's presidential candidate for the 2009 elections," it said.

The statement was issued minutes after the SCA upheld an appeal by the National Director of Public Prosecutions against a high court ruling that halted the prosecution of the party's president.

The ruling means that Zuma, the front-runner for the Presidency in the upcoming elections, will still have to face corruption charges.

The ANC said it respected the court's judgment "without reservation" .

"It is important to note that this judgment has nothing to do with the guilt or otherwise of the ANC president. Nor does it make any pronouncements on the merits of the charges previously brought by the NPA.

"The ANC and its president reserve the right to pursue all options available in law," the ANC said.

- SAPA

Comments have been closed for this article.

Judge 1/12/2009 11:54:30 AM
The sooner JZ is sent to prison the better. We need to have a mature and stable government. JZ will never provide that.
Mel 1/12/2009 11:56:33 AM
I was a member of the ANC, and a member of the ANC's Progressive Business Forum. Guess who is not anymore?
Jennifer Lloyd 1/12/2009 11:58:28 AM
Isn't it time the ANC put the interests of South Africa first? Talk about political suicide!
Adrian 1/12/2009 12:00:19 PM
The fact that the ANC upholds ZUMA as their candidate is just ludicrous!
Andy 1/12/2009 12:00:58 PM
ANC is going to lose votes if it persists in supporting a tainted leader... come on - there are other, stronger candidates!
security analyst 1/12/2009 12:01:38 PM
Taking on Zuma ...this man , and his supporters, will fight.
Zolile 1/12/2009 12:01:51 PM
Oh poor Nicholson! What does this mean for his career?
pasile 1/12/2009 12:09:24 PM
Why is everyone so eager to forget that the Nicholson judgement took place. It would appear that many of you, like the ANC, the courts are only good if they validate your preconcived ideas. Two courts found two different outcomes. The constitutional court, if approached, could find in the interest of Zuma. Elections will determine what the majority of South Africans think.
panther 1/12/2009 12:09:37 PM
NOW LETS WAIT FOR JULIUS TO BREAK INTO "SONG"
Andre 1/12/2009 12:10:22 PM
Great news! Eagerly looking forward to the wise, eloquent and rational reaction of super-sharp Julius Malema on this ruling.
kk 1/12/2009 12:10:37 PM
Zuma is an embarassment to all right thinking South Africans. Schaik is in prison for paying him...surely Zuma should be his cellmate?
Tebzano 1/12/2009 12:10:52 PM
Now recharge and he must go to court to prove his innocece. Great. Best start to the year
Tyrone 1/12/2009 12:12:27 PM
Never mind the fact that we South Africans need a respectable leader, the global community does not want to see a leader that cannot even handle his own personal affairs. International investment in our country will take a huge dive if Zuma becomes President.
Dries 1/12/2009 12:12:45 PM
"Judge" Nicholson should resign as he has made a fool of himself and our High Court. He failed to execute his duties by allowing his personal opinion to overule objective facts. Surely he should have known that you may ONLY rule based on TESTED evidence in Court and not ob the voices in ones own head?
Andre 1/12/2009 12:14:08 PM
Great news! Eagerly looking forward to the wise, eloquent and rational reaction of super-sharp Julius Malema on this ruling.
J 1/12/2009 12:14:54 PM
They keep on banging their heads against a wall!!
Hendrick 1/12/2009 12:15:03 PM
If Zuma is innocent as he claims, why is he avoiding going to court? unless...
xolani 1/12/2009 12:15:51 PM
No country should allowed any one who has been labelled as criminal it's patriotic people, more specially a democratic country, now is the time for the law to go it's course, thank you Tabo Mbeki you have done a good job.-Xolani
CG 1/12/2009 12:15:52 PM
I am very happy to see that the NPA has carried on the fight to put criminals behind bars even though it is Zuma... I do have a question though what happens if he becomes our President and then found guilty... if that had to happen don't you think how stupid we would look internationally (more than we already do)
Ryan 1/12/2009 12:16:34 PM
Nothing would make me happier than to see him dancing with a ball and chain around his ankles (no i'm not talking about his 6th wife). the fact that the ANC still support him just shows the moral fibre of the organisation...laughable
Francois 1/12/2009 12:18:03 PM
lol I hear you! Well that's what you get for helping the negative side of life just ask Shabir.
David 1/12/2009 12:18:58 PM
Zuma will still find a way to cancel all the charges and keep his "Get-out-of-jail-free" card. Cope is my hope
xolani 1/12/2009 12:21:34 PM
No democratic country should allow anyone who has been labelled criminal to rule it's people irrispective of who he is, let the law go it's course. Well done Thabo Mbeki, you have done a very good job.
Jakes 1/12/2009 12:21:57 PM
If Zuma is innocent as himself and the ANC claim, he should prove this in a court of law without any threads by Malema & co. It is really ridiculous that the ANC maintain JZ as the candidate for the presidency.
Mandla 1/12/2009 12:22:08 PM
enjoy your celebrations whiles it last, but Zuma will be President and these false charges by the corrupt NPA will soon be droped.
Sally Kruger 1/12/2009 12:23:09 PM
The ANC can do what they like and they know it. It's called arrogance! It will end up in them changing the law or a plea bargain. How long has Shaik been sitting in jail? Zuma should have been with him way back then....
Skew 1/12/2009 12:23:55 PM
So a deal with the NPA, an admission to the charges and then a 'presidential pardon'?
James 1/12/2009 12:24:36 PM
zuma please tell the people of South Africa about corrupt officals which you where trying to protect .....you are not the bad one . Where did the ex ANC ministers get thier money to buy thier wine farms and build porsh houses
Mark 1/12/2009 12:25:01 PM
Cannot believe the executive of the ANC is so silly to allow JZ to be the candidate. The opposition parties will have a field day on this and he will be defending this rather than dealing with the ANC's deliverables.
anon 1/12/2009 12:25:25 PM
So service delivery is practically non-existent and the man who is meant to change all of that has a corruption case hanging over his head. Very difficult to be proudly South African
Phillip Jonas 1/12/2009 12:26:03 PM
The time has come to reaveal those he would "go down" with should he loose the legal battle.
Themba 1/12/2009 12:27:08 PM
An Engineer could have made a better Judgement compared to that of Nicholson, SHAME ON him
Aki 1/12/2009 12:28:06 PM
I think the question is South Africa prepared to have a president who will spend most of his time on his corruption case. I believe the ANC is making a mistake. The matters of the country should be in the hands of someone who will be doing his job on a full time basis. The way I see we will have a part-time president.
Mac 1/12/2009 12:28:31 PM
Let's pray that the ruling party keeps JZ on as its presidential candidate - for every minute he remains "the candidate", COPE, the DA and other opposition parties will harvest new members in droves. That's good for SA. Keep him ANC - you deserve one another. Viva the SA judiciary - now let's wait and see how strongly the ruling party and Mr Malema laud the justice system in SA, as they did with Nicholson. Mac.
Nasty 1/12/2009 12:28:37 PM
It seems the emperor has darned new clothes , who has the last laugh now JZ , Will the real slim stand up Thabo Mbeki VIVA!
Houston 1/12/2009 12:28:48 PM
The ANC used Nicholsons decision as the main reason for dumping Mbeki - they should be slightly embarrassed by this outcome, they should have waited for the appeal - after all, they keep banging on about how everyone deserves their day in court.
Sarel 1/12/2009 12:29:32 PM
To be honest, I hold South Africans Voters responsible for this mess. If the ruling party get the message that South African Voters will NOT vore for the ANC because the man they vote for may be a criminal, they would replace Zume in a blink of an eye. But the South African Voters proved over and over again, election after election that they'd rather vote for the ANC because of skincolor than vote for it because of competency. I'll vote DA, because they seem competent and at least credible.
prosecutor 1/12/2009 12:29:43 PM
What musn't our government look like to the outside world?..an absolute circus with JZ as its ringmaster..this man thinks he's untouchable and above the law...I'ts beyond me how he's own party can still consider him as candidate to be SA president...a rapist and thief for president!!wow!!we've come a long way haven't we!!!!????
Sarel 1/12/2009 12:29:45 PM
To be honest, I hold South Africans Voters responsible for this mess. If the ruling party get the message that South African Voters will NOT vore for the ANC because the man they vote for may be a criminal, they would replace Zume in a blink of an eye. But the South African Voters proved over and over again, election after election that they'd rather vote for the ANC because of skincolor than vote for it because of competency. I'll vote DA, because they seem competent and at least credible.
Mark 1/12/2009 12:30:17 PM
The ANC needs a leader that is respected by the whole country, like Nelson Mandela was. Jacob Zuma is only respected by his cronies and the gullible masses.
patrick 1/12/2009 12:32:58 PM
At long last, sense seems to have prevailed in the quagmire of SA politics. Given that the ANC still want JZ (or is that JC in their eyes?) as their leader, does SA and the world not need any clearer message that we are no longer a democracy but a dictatorship.
k 1/12/2009 12:33:31 PM
Zuma will be a good president that South Africa have ever produce,let us vote for Umsholozi.
Fencesitter 1/12/2009 12:35:15 PM
Guilty or not, we have to look at the man. The legend of JZ will live forever! The members of the ANC must see something that we don't. On the face of it (once again guilty or not) someone who takes a shower to cure AIDs is not fit to run our nation. The ANC need to find a better candidate! What is wrong with Motlanthe?
Now What? 1/12/2009 12:36:20 PM
The question that needs too be answered is how Nicholson reached his ruling did the ANC and the ANCYL have some thing to do with it? This of great concern
Smanga Zulu 1/12/2009 12:36:56 PM
May I remind fellow people here. Zuma is innocent until proven guilty. Don't get too excited and let the law prevail... Please! Judge Nicholson did nothing wrong!
Eddy 1/12/2009 12:37:13 PM
What does this mean to the pietermaritzburg jugdement, Shame-Eddy
Smanga Zulu 1/12/2009 12:37:26 PM
May I remind fellow people here. Zuma is innocent until proven guilty. Don't get too excited and let the law prevail... Please! Judge Nicholson did nothing wrong!
Jannie 1/12/2009 12:37:53 PM
JZ asked for his day in court, now is the time. Cannot understand why he tried delaying it.
Tradition 1/12/2009 12:37:59 PM
In he's defense It's traditionally expected that a gift be made to secure the attention of the Chief. In this case the Chief was Zuma. The bribe was in fact a gift!?
Justin 1/12/2009 12:38:01 PM
Isn't this ruling indicative of a lot of the members in the ranks of the ANC ? One only has to wonder if the ANC is fighting as hard as it is to keep attention away from the rest of it's corrupt body. They certainly won't be known as a party that practices and portrays the values we believe in ...
Justice Boy 1/12/2009 12:38:39 PM
What you sow that shall you reap, this guy can't get away with crime. I mean what a bad reflection this will be for our country to the world if a corrupt man like JZ rule over us, God is not mocket justice has to take it's course.Amen
Basie 1/12/2009 12:39:08 PM
Just goes to show corrupts will always support their comrades
INDIA 1/12/2009 12:39:13 PM
At long last our justice system is working thanks to COPE for putting preasure and judge Nicholson should be fired he does not know his job period. VIVA COPE VIVA
RationalThinker 1/12/2009 12:39:26 PM
The fact that Zuma has tried so hard to stop the NPA from doing what they need to, smacks of guilt. Let's finally see what he was hiding in Mauritius! The ANC's credibility will rot with him in jail!
TG 1/12/2009 12:41:17 PM
why are we not concerned with what the he stands for. He wouldnt preach and preach if he didnt believe in it. until found guilty let the man be and we will sing and chant "mshini wam"
keith 1/12/2009 12:43:31 PM
he asked for his day in court may be he will get it, we all hope so
Oupa 1/12/2009 12:43:37 PM
JZ do not need to be recharged. The NPA can and must forthwith proceed with its criminal charges against JZ, speedily moving and/or setting down the trial to start by latest 15 February 2009.
Sinudeity@Gmail.com 1/12/2009 12:45:32 PM
NOBODY wanted to be photographed with him, not Obama, not Condi. Good advise from their PR people. Unfortunately, South Africa has IDIOTS for PR folks it seems. And the ANC/SACP etc, will support him, no matter what. How do you, with a clear conscience, support a guilty man? I guess conscience is the keyword.
JC 1/12/2009 12:45:37 PM
The ANC has no morals whatsoever, so it is fitting they be led by the biggest crook of them all.
Sinudeity@Gmail.com 1/12/2009 12:46:25 PM
NOBODY wanted to be photographed with him, not Obama, not Condi. Good advise from their PR people. Unfortunately, South Africa has IDIOTS for PR folks it seems. And the ANC/SACP etc, will support him, no matter what. How do you, with a clear conscience, support a guilty man? I guess conscience is the keyword.
Sicelo 1/12/2009 12:48:45 PM
At the end of the day there is still a vacant post "head of NPA ".The Anc can select someone as the head and the case can be dropped ,common now ,,the ruling doesnt mean jack s**t.The NPA needs to work fast . Done
Jacob 1/12/2009 12:48:47 PM
Zuma cannot handle his personal affairs in a manner worthy of even the faintest hint of a respectable and upright moral person. Is he expected to run the affairs of a country such as South Africa with all its complications? Surely not. Being a staunch ANC supporter, I am terribly disappointed with the organisation for putting forward a candidate such as Zuma.Surely their cupboard is not bare and could do much better than Zuma.What does Mandela think about all this.Would be interesting to know.
Yebo 1/12/2009 12:50:14 PM
I think the ANC's next step will be putting a law in place that forbids the president of South Africa to be prosecuted....It's a funny country...
Paul 1/12/2009 12:52:14 PM
The ANC could hardly change their candidate again. The party comes before the country - as it must until voters look ready to elect an alternative. At this stage the existence of COPE has at least made the ANC stop the threats of violence.
boerinbeton 1/12/2009 12:53:05 PM
Which will take a nosedive if he becomes president. Duh.
FR 1/12/2009 12:56:53 PM
And he will take the ANC down with him...!!!
TG 1/12/2009 12:58:04 PM
well this puts a question on the judges verdict. if we can question it then we should question all his judgement in the past.surely it shouldnt start with JZ
INDIA 1/12/2009 12:58:38 PM
This guy is a problem and i'm not suprised by people who say's he's still their candidate because they have corrupt minds. VIVA COPE
tsika 1/12/2009 1:04:13 PM
I am waiting for mr Mbheki join cope.he is happy that JZ might not became a prsident of sa.jz was denaied his contitutional right.what happen to innocent until proven otherwise.you might say i am i dinael but i am not.Selective reporting has play pivotal role in judging jz. my point to mr Mheki is be Thabo that we knwe our country need yor expertise stay away form this political cospiracy please ntate re ao kopala.tsika
Jayshree 1/12/2009 1:15:22 PM
No way JZ you cannot be our president!!! you need to consider early retirement before the rand looses it value!!!!!!!!!
Cedric 1/12/2009 1:21:36 PM
Maybe uma should become South Africas Hugh Hefner but then again we the taxpayer will be paying for the wives.
Themba 1/12/2009 1:27:00 PM
An Engineer could have made a better Judgement compared to that of Nicholson, SHAME ON him
citizen X 1/12/2009 1:28:57 PM
What this means is that the ANC, in bundling Mbeki out of office, was massively premature. The fallout was huge, while the original judgement is now invalid. The mad rush to make top space for Zuma and to oust Mbeki has simply compounded the problems for ANC. It gave rise to COPE, it divided the ANC, and now it remains as a massive embarrassment, an act of stupidity on a huge scale. We need now to ensure that a strong coalition of the opposition prevents an ANC two-thirds majority.
Sinudeity@Gmail.com 1/12/2009 1:49:29 PM
Are you stupid?! I SAW Zuma's bank balance, and the 4 million he received over a period. Then, not paying taxes on those monies. Zuma IS guilty Mandla, you are just SSSOOO blinded, you dont see it. You and all the OTHER IDIOT voting ANC members. WAKE UP MAN!!!
Sinudeity@Gmail.com 1/12/2009 1:53:22 PM
This is a democracy, not some ancient Zulu culture club running the show. This is the 21st century, are you still walking around with spears and shields and leather patches around your arms? You are NOT the chiefs servant, you are a citizen.
Lefifi la Boroka 1/12/2009 1:53:31 PM
Nicholson had intentions, bad inentions...either he is for JZ or he just wanted to cos chaos within the ruling party and the country as a whole. he is one you can call counter revolutionary.you don't even need a law related subject at primary school level to have judged better than him.
Sinudeity@Gmail.com 1/12/2009 1:55:01 PM
His delayed court cases, and white laywers is costing the country MILLIONS!!! Millions, that the ANC is now asking, from the public, to fund projects for the poor. Zuma has given NOTHING to the poor, since his entants into politics, he only takes and takes and takes.
Chabedi Mphela 1/12/2009 2:07:55 PM
This Zumativity issue is a guiltynotguilty philosophical word that leaves we mortal South Africans confused!Should judge eat judge before worms eat Zuma? Should court eat court for Zuma to be taken to court? What court then?-oh mercy!-Chabedi
Sarel 1/12/2009 2:10:03 PM
"K"... you want to vote for Zuma, but you can't even construct a proper sentence? Oh, sorry, you probably didn't have books in the Apartheid era - just like the politicians who studied at Oxford! Word wakker in die lewe!!

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