South Africa's most sensational rape trial was set to resume yesterday amid protests staged by supporters of former presidential hopeful Jacob Zuma and anti-rape activists.
A few hundred supporters of the embattled former deputy president thronged the tightly-patrolled area around the Johannesburg High Court, singing lustily and voicing their total backing for Zuma.
A red minibus blared pro-Zuma songs over a loudhailer while one man toted a wooden machine with the words "bring me my machine gun" -- a reference to Zuma's days as intelligence chief in the African National Congress, which was a liberation movement before transforming itself into a political party.
Police and supporters clashed briefly when the security forces tried to remove the minibus.
Mandlenkosi Khumbuza, 53, who sported an ANC t-shirt, said there was no doubt in his mind as to who the victim was.
"It is Jacob Zuma who was raped. I believe that the lady has been bought," he said, referring to the accuser, an HIV-positive AIDS activist and an old family friend who says she was raped by Zuma in his house in November.
"All I feel about this case is that it is a conspiracy. I believe in his [Zuma's] innocence," Khumbuza said.
Meanwhile, women's groups held an all-night vigil at a nearby church and launched a "One in Nine Campaign" to show solidarity with victims of sexual violence.
According to the Medical Research Council, only one in nine rape cases are reported.
"We had a vigil all night. About 300 people -- men and women -- took part to show support not just to the victim but to every woman going through rape," said Cecilie Palmer, director of the Women against Women Abuse.
Many Zuma supporters believe both an earlier graft charge -- which led to his sacking as the country's number two -- and subsequent rape charges are part of a political conspiracy against the 63-year-old politician to prevent him from succeeding President Thabo Mbeki when he steps down in 2009.
Mbeki fired him last June in a major corruption scandal and Zuma is due to go on trial on two graft charges in July this year.
RSS