Shaik's relieved it's all over
2006-05-08 22:30
Durban - A relieved Schabir Shaik said on Monday after hearing that former deputy president Jabob Zuma had been acquitted on a rape charge that, hopefully, South Africa now would be able to return to normality.
Shaik is a long-time friend and former financial advisor of Zuma's and is on bail pending an appeal against his conviction on a corruption charge.
Zuma's corruption hearing starts in KwaZulu-Natal at the end of July.
Shaik, who became a father in March, said he spent most of the day watching a direct transmission on television of Judge Willem van der Merwe's ruling in the Zuma case in Johannesburg High Court.
"I am relieved about the ruling.
"I pray that the country will now return to normal. The case caused a lot of political turmoil."
"At one stage (in the ruling), one started to get the feeling that it was going to go well."
"Every day, I have more reason to be thankful," said the former millionaire businessman.
First, there was the birth of his firstborn, and now there is the Zuma ruling.