June, 15, 2005, Caroline Dumay (politiqueglobale.org)

The white opposition finds the decision "courageous". The extreme black left is declared "devastated" by the news. While putting an end to the functions of his vice-president, Zuma Jacob, suspected of corruption , Thabo Mbeki hustles the African southern political scene. He draws aside the principal favourite with his succession in 2009 and opens the voice with a deep division within the ANC (African national Congress) with the capacity.

"I concluded that, in the interest of the vice-president, the government, our young democratic system and our country, it is preferable to discharge Jacob Zuma from his responsibilities for vice-president", declared yesterday Thabo Mbeki in front of the two rooms of the Parliament joined together in extraordinary session with its request.

Since the judgment at fifteen years of prison last week of Shabir Shaik, everyone awaited the reaction of the head of the State. The financial adviser and right arm Zuma Jacob had been recognized guilty of fraud and corruption . One reproaches him for having poured in his "friend", "owner" and "former companion of fight anti-apartheid", Jacob Zuma, more than 160 000 euros between 1995 and 2001. In exchange from what the businessman profited from his political influence for the concluding of contracts. The business especially made great noise on the contracts of armament of 1999. Shabir Shaik was recognized guilty to have negotiated a bribe between Zuma and manufacturing it of weapons Thint, subsidiary company South-African of the French group Thomson CSF (become Thales). This "arrangement" envisaged the payment of 500 000 rands annual to the vice-president.

During the seven months of lawsuit, president Mbeki had always refused to come to a conclusion about the culpability of his right arm. The sanction fell yesterday. For the opposition in South Africa (Democratic Alliance, DA), the decision is "what it could arrive of better for the image of the country". The support is total also side of Nelson Mandela. "We fully support the president during this difficult time", declared the Nobel Prize of peace.

If the former president held to react, it is that it knows that this decision is likely to cause a crisis without precedent within the African national Congress (ANC) with the capacity since 1994 in Pretoria. South-African Communist Party (SACP) with the trade-union confederation Cosatu, the left wing of the party very whole was dedicated to Jacob Zuma, considered as the successor of Thabo Mbeki in 2009. This 63 years Zoulou also enjoyed a strong support in the province of theNative one.

Jacob Zuma was not at the Parliament to hear the verdict "I respect the decision of the president" it was satisfied to answer yesterday, but let me to you repeat that my conscience is clear "the lawyers of Shabir Shaik appealed. The name of the substitute of Zuma Jacob was not announced. But all the names which circulate are regarded as close relations of Thabo Mbeki.

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