Jacob Zuma

===Deputy presidency===
Zuma was elected deputy president of the ANC at the party's [[50th National Conference of the African National Congress|50th National Conference]] in [[Mafikeng]] in December 1997, and was subsequently appointed deputy president of South Africa in June 1999, pursuant to the [[1999 South African general election|1999 general election]].<ref name="sahistory" /> Zuma served under newly elected President Mbeki and was the chief mediator in the [[Burundi]] peace process,<ref>{{cite news|date=27 July 2004|title=Tutsis boycott Burundi talks|work=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3929519.stm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930103242/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3929519.stm|archive-date=30 September 2009}}</ref> in which he worked with Ugandan president [[Yoweri Museveni]], who chaired the Great Lakes Regional Initiative, a grouping of regional presidents overseeing the peace process in Burundi.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2004-10-11|title=Burundi peace process back in the spotlight|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/burundi-peace-process-back-in-the-spotlight-223811|access-date=2021-12-24|website=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|IOL]]}}</ref>
[[File:Bulelani Ngcuka.png|thumb|174x174px|Under [[Bulelani Ngcuka]], the NPA opened its investigation into Zuma.|left]]
In late 2002, the [[National Prosecuting Authority]] (NPA) announced that Zuma was one of several ANC politicians under investigation by the [[Scorpions (South Africa)|Scorpions]] for corruption related to the R30-billion [[South African Arms Deal|Arms Deal]], a major defence procurement package which the government had signed months after Zuma's appointment to the deputy presidency.<ref name="Bruce-2008">{{Cite journal|last=Bruce|first=David|date=2008|title=Without fear or favour: The Scorpions and the politics of justice|url=https://journals.assaf.org.za/index.php/sacq/article/view/951/820|journal=SA Crime Quarterly|volume=24}}</ref> In August 2003, however, National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) [[Bulelani Ngcuka]] told the media that the NPA had a "prima facie case of corruption" against Zuma but had decided not to prosecute on the basis that the case was unlikely to be won.<ref name="Bruce-2008" /> A highly public spat ensued between Zuma allies and Ngcuka, who was accused by [[Moe Shaik]] and [[Mac Maharaj]] of having been an apartheid spy, an accusation later dismissed by the specially appointed Hefer Commission.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Carroll|first=Rory|date=2004-01-21|title=Apartheid spy smear rebounds|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/jan/21/southafrica.rorycarroll|access-date=2021-12-03|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> Zuma laid a misconduct complaint against Ngcuka with the [[Public Protector]], [[Lawrence Mushwana]], who in May 2004 found that Ngcuka's statement to the media had been "unfair and improper".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2004-05-30|title=Public protector a 'liar' and 'sad case'|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2004-05-30-public-protector-a-liar-and-sad-case/|access-date=2021-12-03|website=[[Mail & Guardian]] |language=en-ZA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2004-06-01|title=Ngcuka-Mushwana 'war' rages on|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/ngcuka-mushwana-war-rages-on-20040601|access-date=2021-12-03|website=News24|language=en-US}}</ref>

Mbeki and Zuma were both re-elected in the [[2004 South African general election|2004 general election]], but on 14 June 2005, Mbeki removed Zuma from his post as deputy president following [[Schabir Shaik trial|the conviction]] of Zuma's associate, [[Schabir Shaik]], for making underhanded payments to Zuma in relation to the Arms Deal.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Vasagar|first=Jeevan|date=2005-06-14|title=Mbeki fires deputy in corruption scandal|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/jun/15/southafrica.jeevanvasagar|access-date=2021-12-24|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> Mbeki told a joint sitting of [[Parliament of South Africa|Parliament]] that "in the interest of the honourable Deputy President, the government, our young democratic system and our country, it would be best to release the honourable Jacob Zuma from his responsibilities".<ref name="sacked">{{cite web|date=14 June 2005|title=Deputy president sacked|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2005-06-14-deputy-president-sacked|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215143844/https://mg.co.za/article/2005-06-14-deputy-president-sacked|archive-date=15 February 2018|work=[[Mail & Guardian]]}}</ref> Zuma also resigned as a member of Parliament.<ref name="sacked" />

His successor as deputy president of South Africa was [[Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka]], Ngcuka's wife. Mlambo-Ngcuka had been minister of minerals and energy since 1999. Her appointment was booed publicly atANC rallies by Zuma supporters, including at a [[National Women's Day|Women's Day]] event in [[Utrecht, KwaZulu-Natal|Utrecht]], KwaZulu-Natal.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mofokeng|first=Moffett|date=19 August 2005|title=How a lone cameraman 'dented' SABC's credibility|url=http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=248529&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050912184428/http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=248529&area=%2Fbreaking_news%2Fbreaking_news__national%2F|archive-date=12 September 2005|access-date=20 December 2007|website=[[Mail & Guardian]]}}</ref>