Zuma’s Trial Carries Peril for South Africa’s Ruling Party
- Ex-president’s prosecution may deepen divisions within the ANC
- A pardon of Zuma could taint ANC’s commitment to change
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Former South African President Jacob Zuma’s prosecution for graft appears at first glance to be a victory for the anti-corruption campaign of the nation’s new leader, Cyril Ramaphosa. Yet it also carries risks for his ruling African National Congress.
Not only will a drawn-out trial be a constant reminder to voters that he was enmeshed in scandal for most of the nine years he led South Africa -- it raises uncomfortable questions about why the ANC, parliament and prosecutors failed to take action against him before. The case also threatens to further divide the party.