Comments made by senior Zuma supporters in the wake of the new charges he now faces are worrying. Whether Thabo Mbeki instituted the indictment or not, surely the courts of the land will decide if Zuma is guilty. All allegations of wrongdoing - against anyone - are very serious.

The media must let the country know exactly what this man is charged with instead of what Billy Masetlha thinks he will do to government now that he is a member of the ANC's NEC.

These developments have brought us to the debate central to South Africa's future, that the ANC is not necessarily the government of South Africa. There must always be a difference between Luthuli House and the Union Buildings. Mbeki is not just president of the country, he is the president of Jacob Zuma and his supporters too. Zuma, on the other hand, is just president of the ANC. That is the difference between the two offices.

The leader of the country must do what is right for all South Africans and not seek to impress just ANC members.

Masetlha allegedly told a meeting recently that "if they [the government] defy us [the ANC], we will punish them".

That speaks of a group of people who think they are a law unto themselves. Very worrying traits in new leaders.

Tokyo Sexwale also made worrying statements recently when he said the timing of new charges against Zuma was wrong. How does the timing of indicting a suspect become wrong! When the suspect is ANC president perhaps?

Themba Nkala, Randburg