Joy and fury at Zuma charges move

By Jonah Fisher
BBC News, Johannesburg

It is just over two weeks until South Africa votes for its next president. The man most likely to win, Jacob Zuma has had corruption charges against him dropped.

Jacob Zuma remains the frontrunner to be South Africa's next president

The decision by the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) will probably have little impact on the vote.

With the details of his legal troubles having dominated the South African media for several years, Jacob Zuma has already divided public opinion.

With most of the evidence having leaked into the papers, most minds have already been made up.

People seem to either love or hate the 66-year-old Zulu. With no court case to come, it has now been left to the South African electorate to deliver the final judgement.

But a quick look at the crowds Mr Zuma has drawn on the campaign trail suggests he is not short of support.

It still is difficult for me to comprehend Prosecutor Mokotedi Mpshe Victory for Zuma's hard-core fans

There was not much sign of affection for Mr Zuma at the headquarters of the NPA in Pretoria. Having pursued him since 2001, this was the moment when they had to confess it had all been in vain.

The visual message was clear as the 13 members of the prosecuting team sat on stage for a news conference. A united front, and all of them no doubt aware of the criticism the decision would unleash.

"It still is difficult for me to comprehend that what is set out below could have happened," acting chief prosecutor Mokotedi Mpshe told the room as the meeting started.

Mbeki link?

For weeks, rumours have been appearing in the national press that the Zuma legal team had submitted tapped phone conversations to back up their claims of political interference in his case.

Views from Polokwane on dropping Jacob Zuma's graft case In pictures

It was even suggested that former South African President Thabo Mbeki had been recorded.

Now Mr Mpshe confirmed the taped conversations did exist. Not directly involving Mr Mbeki, but between Leonard McCarthy - who headed the now disbanded Scorpions investigation team - and Buleleni Ngcuka who had headed the NPA.

For an extraordinary half hour, Mr Mpshe read out transcripts of the calls. The decision to bring fresh charges against Mr Zuma in 2007 had not, it seemed, been a purely legal one.

Both Mr McCarthy and Mr Ngcuka were taped discussing the implications for the contest between Mr Zuma and Mr Mbeki to lead the ANC.

"A serious abuse of process has taken place", Mr Mpshe concluded. "It is neither possible or desirable for the NPA to continue with the prosecution of Mr Zuma."

ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe welcomed the decision

Outside ANC headquarters Mr Zuma's supporters celebrated. But opposition politicians are livid. Helen Zille, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, has demanded a judicial review of the decision.

"The NPA was used as a tool of the political faction under Thabo Mbeki," she said, "and that now it is being used as a tool of the Zuma faction under the ANC. This is what the South African public will read into what happened today and it is a disgrace."

Bantu Holomisa, the leader of the United Democratic Movement, said the ruling marked a step on the way to South Africa becoming a "banana republic".

Mr Zuma has been spared court but the NPA's ruling has also denied him the opportunity to clear his name. For the ANC, the decision to shelve proceedings is a vindication of their unwavering support for Mr Zuma and a victory for the judiciary.

Never again should we allow institutions of government to surrender their professional independence Gwede Mantashe ANC secretary general

"Never again should we allow institutions of government to surrender their professional independence by engaging in parties and political battles," Gwede Mantashe, the party's secretary general, said.

What has been left unresolved is the role of Thabo Mbeki, the ousted former president. He has long denied any interference in the prosecution of Mr Zuma.

But it's yet to be clearly established whose orders Mr McCarthy and Mr Ngcuka - the two taped men - were acting on.