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I will not quit: South African Deputy President
Durban, Sept 10: South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma has said he will not step down from office following his alleged role in a bribery scandal involving a Indian origin businessman.
Durban, Sept 10: South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma has said he will not step down from office following his alleged role in a bribery scandal involving a Indian origin businessman.
Responding to demands by opposition members for his resignation, Zuma said he would not resign his official positions because he was not charged in a court of law and he had not been found guilty of any crime.
Zuma has been accused by the director of national prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, of receiving more than a million rand in payments from Durban Indian-origin businessman, Schabir Shaik, since 1995 to last year. Some of the payments are alleged to have been linked to the country's multi-billion arms procurement programme.
"As an ordinary citizen you are presumed innocent until proven guilty", Zuma said.
"Taking what he (Ngcuka) said that there is no case to prosecute me, a prima facie case does not warrant any standing down of any kind."
On whether he was setting an example as a moral leader, he said "I have led by example when I came to any capacity of leadership and I am still leading by example". Zuma has lodged an appeal in the Pretoria High Court for the national prosecutions director to supply him with evidence which allegedly shows that he had solicited a bribe of R500 000 from a French arms company.
Bureau Report
Zuma has been accused by the director of national prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, of receiving more than a million rand in payments from Durban Indian-origin businessman, Schabir Shaik, since 1995 to last year. Some of the payments are alleged to have been linked to the country's multi-billion arms procurement programme.
"As an ordinary citizen you are presumed innocent until proven guilty", Zuma said.
"Taking what he (Ngcuka) said that there is no case to prosecute me, a prima facie case does not warrant any standing down of any kind."
On whether he was setting an example as a moral leader, he said "I have led by example when I came to any capacity of leadership and I am still leading by example". Zuma has lodged an appeal in the Pretoria High Court for the national prosecutions director to supply him with evidence which allegedly shows that he had solicited a bribe of R500 000 from a French arms company.
Bureau Report