Zuma threats worry SA government

Mr Zuma is favourite to become president in 2009

The South African government says it is extremely concerned by threats by some ruling party supporters to make the country ungovernable.

Supporters of African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma have threatened unrest if he is jailed for corruption.

Government spokesman Themba Maseko said there was particular concern at threats to the judiciary.

Mr Zuma is charged with corruption, money-laundering and racketeering in connection with an arms deal.

'Take up arms'

Supporters of Mr Zuma, who denies the charges, have repeatedly made threats of unrest, and some have said they are prepared to kill for the ANC leader.

The statements... seems to be suggesting that our judiciary is not independent Themba Maseko Government spokesman Timeline: Zuma's legal problem

ANC Youth League President Julius Malema said in June: "If these people think we are only prepared to die for him, we are prepared to take up arms and kill for Zuma."

Mr Maseko said such comments sent out the wrong signal.

"As government we are extremely concerned about a lot of the statements being made, particularly against the judiciary which basically seems to be suggesting that our judiciary is not independent," the South African Press Association quotes him as saying after a cabinet meeting.

Earlier this week, Judge Chris Nicholson set 12 September as the date when he would rule on whether Mr Zuma's corruption trial would go ahead.

Hi legal team argued that the delays in bring the case to court meant he would not get a fair trial.

Mr Zuma's colleagues in the leadership of the ANC are standing firmly by him.

They say he is been the victim of a political conspiracy intended to prevent him becoming South Africa's president in elections due to be held before July 2009.

In 2005, Mr Zuma was sacked as South Africa's deputy president when his financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, was found guilty of soliciting a bribe on behalf of Mr Zuma and jailed for 15 years in connection with an arms deal.

He then went on trial, but the case collapsed in 2006 when the prosecution said it was not ready to proceed.

He was charged again last December shortly after winning a bitter campaign against President Thabo Mbeki to become ANC leader.