South African President Thabo Mbeki sacked his graft-tainted deputy and presumed successor, Jacob Zuma, after he was implicated in a high-profile corruption trial.

“I’ve come to the conclusion that the circumstances dictate that in the interests of the honorable deputy president, the government and our young democratic system … it will be best to release honorable Jacob Zuma from his responsibilities as deputy president of the republic and member of the cabinet,” Mbeki told a joint session of parliament.

Zuma’s former financial adviser Schabir Shaik was convicted of corruption and fraud this month in a Durban High Court ruling that also implicated Zuma and said the pair’s relationship was “generally corrupt,” sparking calls for Zuma to resign.

Zuma, popular with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) rank and file as well as its trade union and Communist allies, had refused to step down, saying he believed he had committed no crime and had not been tried in a court of law.

Shaik was jailed for 15 years last week on charges of paying Zuma 1.3 million rand ($189,400) in return for using his political influence to further Shaik’s business interests, and of seeking a bribe for Zuma from a French arms firm in return for protection from a government probe into an arms deal.

Mbeki appointed Zuma after elections in 1999 after anti-apartheid icon and former President Nelson Mandela stood down. Zuma, a Zulu, was key to ending years of bloodletting between the ANC and the mainly Zulu Inkatha Freedom Party.

Mbeki said he would announce Zuma’s replacement in due course. Zuma, who was not in the parliamentary chamber, was due to address a news conference shortly after Mbeki’s address.

Reuters, June 14, 2005