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S. African Party Leader Faces Corruption Trial

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The Associated Press

Published: December 29, 2007

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa - The newly elected leader of South Africa's ruling party was ordered to stand trial on corruption and other charges next year, possibly derailing his attempts to become president.
Jacob Zuma will be tried in the High Court in August on charges of racketeering, money laundering, corruption and fraud, his lawyer Michael Hulley said Friday.

Zuma, 65, defeated President Thabo Mbeki last week in a bitterly contested election for the leadership of African National Congress. The battle left deep rifts in the 85-year-old ANC that Nelson Mandela led to victory over the racist apartheid state.

The ANC leader is traditionally the party's presidential candidate, and its overwhelming backing has ensured election victories first for Mandela in 1994, then Mbeki in 1999 and 2004.

The prospect of a trial against Zuma raised doubts about whether the party would back his candidacy for the next election in 2009.
Zuma has been under investigation in a bribery scandal involving French arms company Thint.

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