ANC leadership battle heats up over rape charges against Zuma

CAPE TOWN, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) on Friday threw its weight behind President Jacob Zuma over a brawl pitting the president against his deputy Cyril Ramaphosa.

In a statement emailed to Xinhua, the ANCYL accused Ramaphosa of directly attacking Zuma by publicly voicing belief in decade-old rape accusations against the president.

This came after Ramaphosa said in an interview with Radio 702 on Thursday night that he "would believe" the rape accusations against Zuma in a case dated back to 2005.

Fezeka Kuzwayo, popularly known as Khwezi, fielded a lawsuit against Zuma in 2005 when he was deputy president, accusing him of raping her. Zuma denied the accusations.

The High Court in Johannesburg later acquitted Zuma of the rape charges, saying there was not enough evidence to suggest that the sexual act between Zuma and Khwezi was not consensual.

On Friday, Zuma hit back at Ramaphosa, saying he has not been found guilty of any crime and the rape allegations against him were properly considered by a judge of the High Court.

Ramaphosa, one of the candidates in the presidential race of the African National Congress (ANC), is hopeful to succeed Zuma when the ANC holds its elective conference later this month. Ramaphosa's comments about the rape accusations is believed to have added controversy to the ANC's leadership battle.

The ANCYL described Ramaphosa's remarks as "unfortunate" as they constitute direct attacks on a sitting president of the ANC, also the president of the country.

"This is bile because this is an act of a desperation at a full demonstration and prove that his conscience has long left him and not under any circumstance does he show that he can lead the ANC," ANCYL national spokesperson Mlondi Mkhize said.

The ANCYL is shocked that a dead person would be used to advance a selfish personal agenda despite the fact that an independent judicial organ of the state has made a judgment on the matter, said Mkhize.

"We call upon this fellow (Ramaphosa) to publicly respond for this recklessness or face the full might of the ANC rule book," Mkhize said.

Ramaphosa, by attacking an outgoing ANC president, will never increase his chances to even come close to his self-serving ambitions, Mkhize said.

The ANCYL, a political force to be reckoned with in South Africa, has voiced support for Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, ANC MP and former chairwoman of the African Union Commission, to succeed Zuma, who is also believed to support Dlamini-Zuma, his former wife.

Some South Africans went to social media to voice their opinions. Some support Ramaphosa, but more accuse him of using Khwezi's memory to win the presidential campaign.

"It's time for Ramaphosa to walk the talk and prove himself to the nation & the world. Restore our dignity!" one tweet reads.

"Why didn't Cyril believe Khwezi when she said she (was) raped by Zuma then? This (shows) Cyril Ramaphosa is an opportunist," reads another tweet. Enditem