Jacob Zuma Says ‘Prison Doesn’t Scare Me’

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party president Jacob Zuma, standing trial on corruption charges in a high court, has told his supporters in Pietermaritzburg that he was not afraid of going to prison should he be convicted on the charges.

But the youths backing him to become South Africa’s next state president have vowed to do everything in their power to ensure that the ANC leader remained a free man.

Speaking to 2,000 supporters outside the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Wednesday, Zuma said he was wrongfully accused in 1963 and spent 10 years in jail.

“I was wrongfully accused then and I am wrongfully accused now. But I am not afraid of jail,” he said.

The general secretary of the Young Communist League, Buti Manamela, pledged to fight to keep Zuma out of prison.

“The Human Rights Commission has taken words like ‘kill’ out of the dictionary. But we know what will have to be done and we will do it if Zuma goes to jail,” Manamela said.

After Zuma left, his supporters sang liberation songs briefly, but many had already left for home.

The ANC’s KwaZulu-Natal general secretary, Senzo Mchunu, said he was happy with the turnout.

“There were definitely more than 5000,” he added.

Source African Press Agency

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