SOUTH AFRICA: The campaign by controversial former guerilla leader Jacob Zuma to become the next president of South Africa received a major boost yesterday when corruption charges against him were thrown out of court.
The 64-year-old struck a defiant pose on leaving Pietermaritzburg High Court, accusing the media of sentencing him before the judge had even heard the case.
"I said I was innocent. I am still saying I am innocent," Mr Zuma told his supporters before leading them in a chorus of his trademark song, Awulethu umshini wam (Bring Me My Machine-gun) - a struggle-era anthem.
Judge Herbert Msimang, who presided over the trial, refused the state's application for more time to prepare its case.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said it needed another month before it would be in a position to serve the papers.
Refusing the extension, the judge said the state's case had "limped from one disaster to another" and should have been investigated further before Mr Zuma was charged.
The ruling was the second major court finding in Mr Zuma's favour following his dramatic fall from grace last year.
President Thabo Mbeki stripped him of his powers as the country's deputy president after he was accused of having a corrupt relationship with his former aide, Schabir Shaik, and of accepting a bribe from French arms company Thint.
Mr Zuma was subsequently accused of raping a family friend but was acquitted of that charge last May.
His supporters claim the various allegations against him have been politically inspired.
Some are already calling for him to be reinstated as South Africa's deputy president, to match the post he continues to hold in the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
A spokesman for the NPA said it was disappointed by yesterday's decision and would study it over the coming days before deciding how to proceed.
Sheila Camerer, justice spokeswoman for the opposition Democratic Alliance Party, said "too much triumphalism on the part of Zuma supporters might be misplaced" as the charges could well be re-entered in court.
Irrespective of that, she said, "the political implications of this decision are enormous because, in the court of public opinion, Zuma's claim to have been victimised has now been given judicial respectability".
ANC spokesman Smuts Ngonyama said the party "accepted" the decision, and called "on all South Africans to respect the judgment".
In a conciliatory tone, he added: "We would like also to extend our appreciation of the ANC and the democratic movement broadly who demonstrated their principled and disciplined support for the ANC deputy president throughout this difficult period.
"We commend the manner in which the majority of members conducted themselves during this time."
Leading officials in the ruling party have tried to play down internal divisions over the Zuma affair.
However, left-leaning ANC members have openly aligned themselves with the colourful politician, whose good news yesterday was greeted with wild cheers by delegates attending the annual congress of the influential Cosatu trade union group.
In contrast, financial markets reacted frostily, with analysts blaming the ruling for a sudden dip in the value of the South African rand early yesterday.