South African Ex-President Zuma Considering Comeback To Politics - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th September, 2022) South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma does not rule out his political comeback after serving time in jail, eNCA broadcaster reported on Tuesday, citing a statement released on Twitter page of Zuma's daughter.

The ex-president said that some members of the African National Congress (ANC) party had asked him to consider proposing his candidacy for the position of National Chairperson ahead of the upcoming election, the broadcaster reported, adding that 80-year-old Zuma did not rule out accepting the call.� �

Zuma began serving his prison sentence in the summer of 2021. The ex-president was sentenced to 15 months in jail for failing to show up at an inquiry into corruption during his time in office. In early September 2021, the South African government's department of correctional services reported that Zuma's parole had been impelled by a medical report without providing any details about the nature of his illness.

Scandals regularly occurred around Zuma during his political career. The politician allowed himself harsh statements, his polygamy was also ambiguously perceived.

But the main problem was the allegations of corruption. In 1999, Zuma was appointed Vice President of South Africa. However, in 2005, President Thabo Mbeki dismissed him due to the first corruption scandal. It turned out that back in 1999, Zuma participated in a $5 billion arms purchase deal, and some of this money, according to the investigation, was found in the accounts of the vice president. In December 2007, South Africa's high court dropped all charges against Zuma.

In 2014, when Zuma became president again after another victory of the ANC party in the elections, the opposition demanded his resignation and did so five times during his second term. Zuma was accused of embezzling $16 million on his private homestead. The opposition has collected data on 783 episodes of corruption, extortion and fraud when concluding state contracts for the purchase of weapons. In February 2018, Zuma took early retirement. He has repeatedly denied his guilt, claiming that all monetary transactions were monitored by government intelligence services.