Eric Naki

Eric Naki

A campaign has been launched to "mobilise everybody" to ensure that ANC president Jacob Zuma wins his corruption trial.

Yesterday the ANC Youth League, Young Communist League, South African Students Congress, Students Union of Christian Action and MK Military Veterans Association said they believed Zuma would not get a fair trial.

Zuma will appear in the Pietermaritzburg high court on August 4 and August 5 on charges of corruption, money laundering, fraud and racketeering emanating from the multibillion rand arms deal scandal

All the groups claimed that Zuma was a target of political malice. They suggested evidence given by suspended NPA chief Vusi Pikoli showed that President Thabo Mbeki had prior knowledge of the Scorpions' raid on Zuma's properties in August 2006.

"This reinforces our view of political interference in the work of the NPA, particularly the prosecution of Jacob Zuma," the bodies said.

They said the seven year delay to charge Zuma was politically motivated to ensure he did not become president of the country.

ANCYL president Julius Malema said they would go on "door-to-door" visits to mobilise people.

"All our structures will support Zuma," Malema said. "We must ensure that Pietermaritzburg comes to a standstill."

The campaign will be followed by a million-signature campaign to support Zuma's stay of prosecution application.

YCL general secretary general Buti Manamela accused ANC stalwarts Kader Asmal and Raymond Suttner of waking up from their "political graves" when the judiciary is criticised, but keeping silent when Zuma's rights were violated.