{"id":381237,"date":"2017-12-08T12:28:54","date_gmt":"2017-12-08T12:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=381237"},"modified":"2017-12-08T13:17:44","modified_gmt":"2017-12-08T13:17:44","slug":"ramaphosa-believes-south-africas-president-zuma-rape-accuser","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=381237","title":{"rendered":"Ramaphosa believes South Africa’s President Zuma rape accuser"},"content":{"rendered":"

A leading contender to replace President Jacob Zuma as head of South Africa’s governing ANC has said he believes the woman who accused Mr Zuma of rape over a decade ago was telling the truth.<\/p>\n

Mr Zuma’s deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, told a local radio station: “Yes, I would believe her.”<\/p>\n

In 2006 Mr Zuma was found not guilty of raping Fezekile Kuzwayo – the daughter of an old family friend.<\/p>\n

He said she had agreed to have sex.<\/p>\n

Mr Ramaphosa is competing against Mr Zuma’s ex-wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to become the leader of the ANC in a contest starting next Saturday.<\/p>\n

The winner of the party race will be well placed to become the country’s new president in 2019.<\/p>\n

Analysis – Lebo Diseko, Johannesburg<\/strong><\/p>\n

There has been mixed reaction to Mr Ramaphosa’s comments about Ms Kuzwayo’s rape allegation.<\/p>\n

Some have praised him for being more unequivocal in his response than rival candidate for ANC presidency Lindiwe Sisulu.<\/p>\n

When she was asked the same question she responded: “I believe she believes she was raped”.<\/p>\n

But many on social media have asked why Mr Ramaphosa did not publicly support Ms Kuzwayo when she was alive.<\/p>\n

There has been renewed public interest in the rape trial, following the release of a book detailing Ms Kuzwayo’s account of events.<\/p>\n

In particular there has been public anger over her alleged treatment by members of the ruling ANC at the time.<\/p>\n

In the radio interview, Mr Ramaphosa praised Ms Kuzwayo’s courage for taking the case to court, saying:<\/p>\n

“I know how difficult and painful it is to for a woman to garner up the courage and say: ‘Yes I was raped’. It must be one of the most difficult decisions she had to make.”<\/p>\n

Ms Kuzwayo, who was 32 years younger than Mr Zuma, fled abroad and later died after a long illness, but the BBC’s Andrew Harding in Johannesburg says controversy surrounding the case has lingered.<\/p>\n

Ms Kuzwayo was HIV-positive and Mr Zuma’s statement during the trial, that he showered after unprotected sex with the woman to guard against possible infection, provoked ridicule.<\/p>\n

When he acquitted Mr Zuma, the judge concluded: “The complainant was inclined to accuse men of raping her or attempting to rape her,” .<\/p>\n

The president’s office has issued a statement saying: “The court acquitted the president of the rape charges.<\/p>\n

“The presidency affirms the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and the primacy of the courts as the final arbiters in disputes in society.”<\/p>\n

The race for the ANC:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cyril Ramaphosa<\/strong><\/p>\n