SA's Zuma testifies in rape case

Jacob Zuma's supporters say the trial is political

Former South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma has begun testifying in his defence against a charge of rape.

Mr Zuma, 63, denies the charge, saying he had consensual sex with the woman, a family friend, at his home last year.

About 100 supporters demonstrated outside the Johannesburg High Court, fewer than on previous occasions.

Mr Zuma - previously seen as a possible future president - retains considerable popularity. His supporters see the charge as a political conspiracy.

Speaking in Zulu, Mr Zuma began his testimony by talking of his involvement in the struggle against apartheid.

He said he had met the complainant's father through their involvement in the ANC Youth League in 1958.

Jeered

But he denied the woman's claim that they had a "father-daughter" relationship and said she had sent him flirtatious text messages.

Mr Zuma is a veteran of the struggle against apartheid

"If she had said no, I would have stopped there and gotten up and left," he said.

Asked about whether he thought there was a political conspiracy against him, Mr Zuma said named two men as being in the anti-Zuma camp:

Bulelani Ngcuka, the former director of the national prosecuting authority and husband of Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka who succeeded Mr Zuma as deputy president, and Minister of Intelligence Ronnie Kasrils. Last week, the defence failed in an application to have the rape charge dropped.

The case has attracted huge publicity and court sessions have drawn demonstrations by groups both for and against Mr Zuma.

Women's groups have been critical of the trial and the cross-examination of the 31-year-old woman at the heart of it, who is HIV positive and an Aids activist.

Supporters of Mr Zuma have at times stood outside the court and jeered as she arrived at the courthouse.

Mr Zuma - a veteran of the ANC struggle to end apartheid and a favourite of the party's left wing - was once thought a likely successor to Thabo Mbeki as South African president.

But the allegations of rape and corruption are thought by many to have ended that prospect.

A separate corruption trial is scheduled to begin in the Durban High Court in July.