Zuma, to be or not to be - is he dodgy?

Above: Zuma friend of the people of south Africa?

Newly elected leader of the A.N.C., Mr. Zuma is under fire today because of his links to an arms deal in which he is accused of bribing “Thales-Thint,” the combined French weapons manufacturer, represented by their resource and champion sales person Mr. Thetard, French arms dealer for the African region. Mr. Thetard gave evidence advising that the fax in which Mr. Schabir Shaikg got 15 years for was evidence enough to show that Mr. Zuma was indeed involved.In the fax it is written that he asks for 500,000Rand per arms deal. Mr. Zuma only recently was acquitted of rape charges, which means nothing, but the poor fellow does not have a lot going for him. Apart from the millions embezzled, this fax was accepted as key evidence in the Schabir Shaik coruption case which Shaik got 15 years for. The charges against the French company were dropped on the agreement that they confirmed they sent the fax which involved Zuma in the bribery charges. They did this and the Lead Prosecutor at the time, Bulelani Ngcuka held true to his word and dropped the charges against the French company. However, Thetard representitive for the French weapons producer Thales-Thint then sent an affidavid advising that the fax was only a rough draft, which he was going to expand upon. Essentially leaving Mr. Ngcuka the lead prosecutor, high and dry. He was later forced to resign to relieve tension brought about by the ANC trying to clear Mr. Zuma.

Above : Zuma, all talk?

Also involved with this arms deal was Mr. Ledwaba who was brought up on charges with another member of the DSO for corruption. Mr. Ledwaba and Ms. Ayanda Dlodlo now former employees of the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO) were arrested on Nov. 20 2006 and appeared at the Pretoria’s Special Commercial Crimes Court on charges of theft, fraud and corruption. The two, Mr. Geoph Ledwaba and Ms Ayanda Dlodlo, were arrested by the Serious Economic Offences Unit of the SAPS following a criminal investigation by the police. The investigation had been requested by the head of the NPA, Advocate Vusi Pikoli, after allegations of improper conduct with regard to certain transactions pertaining to the DSO C-Fund and other matters were levelled against Ledwaba. He was accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of rands. Mr. Ledwaba case was on 8th February 2007, the result of which was that he resigned and the actual events that transpired were unclear, no more news can be found of this. Ms. Dlodlo was found with 40,000 Rand at her residence so probably got off with no charge!

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