Zuma now officially charged with rape

I had written a little about Jacob Zuma, the former vice-president of South Africa and his recent endictment in relation to a bribe and a potentially corrupt arms deal. That was really bad news for Zuma, as well as the ANC, the ruling part in South Africa.

But this blows it out of the water. Just yesteday, Zuma was officially charged with raping a family friend in Johannesburg. He has now stepped down as the Vice-president of the ANC and will likely focus his efforts full time on his two pending court cases. This is an even bigger blow to Zuma and the ANC. Plus, its essentially career ending for Zuma. In combatting his corruption charges, he still had some financial support to pay for court fees, many of those supporters have now backed out once he was charged with rape.

What really gets me though, is that he is still immensly popular in South Africa. I saw a news channel here interviewing various South Africans. They seemed to support Zuma in his recent charge, and suggested they would continue to support him regardless of the out come. To me this seems ludicrous. But, then again, I stood by Clinton even as he was impeached.

Anyway, this is the major news in South Africa. I am sure the shooting of a passenger on the Jetway in Miami is making headlines in the states, but Zuma and his trial is in the center ring in South Africa.