SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa's ruling ANC party was thrown into turmoil yesterday after a Durban businessman was convicted of soliciting bribes on behalf of deputy president Jacob Zuma.
Schabir Shaik was convicted on two counts of corruption and on a lesser charge of fraud at Durban High Court, all of which relate to irregular financial dealings with Mr Zuma - who is also deputy president of the ANC - during the late 1990s.
The first corruption charge relates to the payment by Shaik to Mr Zuma of R1.2 million (approximately €150,000), allegedly intended to influence him for business projects.
Shaik also faced a charge of arranging for R500,000 to be paid to Mr Zuma every year by French arms company Thomson-CSF, so he would use his influence to swing business deals.
Throughout the trial Shaik had denied any wrongdoing and claimed the money had been a donation to Mr Zuma's education trust rather than a bribe.
However, Judge Hillary Squires dismissed Shaik's explanation as "nothing short of ridiculous". Had it been a donation rather than a bribe, there would have been no reason for the coded language used in correspondence or to try so hard to persuade the company to comply, the judge said. Neither was there any evidence that the trust ever anticipated a donation.
The judge added that the coded language used by Shaik in the correspondence surrounding the bribe by the French company was also used by Mr Zuma.
After the verdict opposition parties called on Mr Zuma to step down as deputy president of the state and the ANC, claiming he had compromised and embarrassed President Thabo Mbeki, the ANC and South Africa.
"Judge Hillary Squires's verdict in Durban effectively means that deputy president Jacob Zuma - while not on trial - has been found guilty in absentia," said justice spokeswoman for the Democratic Alliance Shelia Camerar.
There were also calls for Mr Zuma to be charged in relation to the bribery.