Police testing Zuma's blood
2005-11-24 07:50
Johannesburg - Police are conducting tests on Jacob Zuma's blood to compare it with the DNA of semen found on the underwear of his alleged rape victim, Beeld newspaper reported on Thursday.
It said the forensic tests results would soon be handed to senior police officials.
Director of Public Prosecutions advocate Charin de Beer will then decide whether or not to prosecute the ANC's deputy president, Beeld reported.
The Star newspaper said staff at the police's Pretoria forensic laboratory worked through the weekend to analyse the sample found on the 31-year-old complainant's underwear.
The results were "positive", meaning that the sample had proved to be semen.
The two samples would then be compared and could prove to be crucial evidence.
The Star quoted de Beer as saying the decision on whether or not Zuma should be prosecuted fell within her jurisdiction.
"Eventually I have to make the decision," she told the paper.
Since the Sunday Times published the rape allegations on November 13 and Beeld published the case number, police have refused to confirm whether Zuma is facing a charge.
SABC radio news quoted unnamed police sources on Thursday as saying they had to take their personal safety into account when speaking to the media on the rape claims against Zuma.
ANC spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said on Wednesday the party hadn't been able to confirm a charge against Zuma.
In a statement to "re-state" the party's stance, the ANC said it viewed the matter in a serious light.
"These are serious allegations, that must be dealt with in terms of the law, by the appropriate institutions of the state."
Zuma has denied the rape allegations.
- SAPA