Jacob Zuma

=== Continued popularity ===
Although Zuma had been fired as national deputy president, he retained the ANC deputy presidency, and internal factions began to coalesce around him and Mbeki. Between 2005 and 2007, their rivalry deepened into what Susan Booysen called "a brutal and all-consuming disagreement between two major ANC groupings".<ref name="Booysen-2011">{{Citation|last=Booysen|first=Susan|title=Aluta continua, from Polokwane to Mangaung|date=2011|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.18772/12011115423.5|work=The African National Congress and the Regeneration of Political Power|pages=33–84|publisher=Wits University Press|isbn=978-1-86814-542-3|jstor=10.18772/12011115423.5|access-date=2021-12-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Gevisser|first=Mark|date=2007-12-12|title=South Africa Grows Up|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/opinion/12gevisser.html|access-date=2021-12-09|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="Gevisser-2007">{{Cite book|last=Gevisser|first=Mark|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pMJ6AAAAMAAJ|title=Thabo Mbeki: The Dream Deferred|date=2007|publisher=Jonathan Ball|isbn=978-1-86842-301-9|language=en|chapter=Thabo Mbeki, Jacob Zuma, and the Future of the South African Dream}}</ref> Although the corruption and rape allegations were considered politically damaging,<ref name="SA's Zuma showered to avoid HIV"/><ref name="The Guardian-2006">{{Cite web|date=2006-05-08|title=Jacob Zuma cleared of rape|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/may/08/aids.southafrica|access-date=2022-01-11|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> Zuma continued to enjoy considerable support from [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]] elements of the ANC, especially the [[African National Congress Youth League|ANC Youth League]] under [[Fikile Mbalula]], and from the ANC's partners in the [[Tripartite Alliance]], the SACP, and the [[Congress of South African Trade Unions]] (COSATU).<ref>{{cite news|last=Simao|first=Paul|date=28 July 2006|title=Left rallies to support embattled Zuma|work=[[Mail & Guardian]]|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2006-07-28-left-rallies-to-support-embattled-zuma|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110908103535/http://mg.co.za/article/2006-07-28-left-rallies-to-support-embattled-zuma|archive-date=8 September 2011}}</ref> [[Blade Nzimande]] of the SACP and [[Zwelinzima Vavi]] of COSATU were among Zuma's chief organisers and most vocal supporters (though both recanted their support years later).<ref name="Du Toit-2017">{{Cite web|last=Du Toit|first=Pieter|date=2017-12-11|title=The Polokwane Decade Is Over: 'Comrades, Comrades: Sit Down!'|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2017/12/10/the-polokwane-decade-is-over-comrades-comrades-sit-down_a_23302829/|access-date=2021-12-09|website=HuffPost UK|language=en}}</ref> Vavi and Youth League leader [[Julius Malema]] later said that they were prepared to "kill for Zuma".<ref name="dmc3">{{cite web|last=Wills|first=Zapiro with Mike|date=14 August 2018|title=The back story to the most controversial cartoon in SA history|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-08-14-the-back-story-to-the-most-controversial-cartoon-in-sa-history/|access-date=17 August 2018|website=[[Daily Maverick]]|language=en-ZA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2008-06-21|title=We're prepared to kill for Zuma: Vavi|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/were-prepared-to-kill-for-zuma-vavi-405292|access-date=2022-01-11|website=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|IOL]]|language=en}}</ref> Nzimande and his SACP comrade [[Gwede Mantashe]] warned that the corruption trial would endanger public stability if it went ahead,<ref name="dmc3" /> although there were reports that support for Zuma had caused a rift within the SACP.<ref>{{cite web|date=20 December 2007|title=The trouble with JZ|url=http://www.mg.co.za/articledirect.aspx?articleid=257884&area=%2finsight%2finsight__comment_and_analysis%2f|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621152427/http://www.mg.co.za/articledirect.aspx?articleid=257884&area=%2Finsight%2Finsight__comment_and_analysis%2F|archive-date=21 June 2007|access-date=20 December 2007|website=[[Mail & Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Tabane|first=Rapule|date=21 April 2006|title=SACP divided on Zuma|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2006-04-21-sacp-divided-on-zuma|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150205183536/http://mg.co.za/article/2006-04-21-sacp-divided-on-zuma|archive-date=5 February 2015|access-date=5 February 2015|website=[[Mail & Guardian]]}}</ref> While Zuma's political strength was at least partly based on his relationships within intra-party politics and Mbeki's lack of popularity with the left wing, he also had a large Zulu support base,<ref name="Gevisser-2007"/> and one analyst argued that his supporters' loyalty was partially rooted in a traditionalist Zulu loyalty.<ref>{{cite web|date=18 November 2005|title=Riding on Zulu empathy|url=http://www.mg.co.za/articledirect.aspx?articleid=256829&area=%2finsight%2finsight__national%2f|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930201335/http://www.mg.co.za/articledirect.aspx?articleid=256829&area=%2Finsight%2Finsight__national%2F|archive-date=30 September 2007|access-date=20 December 2007|website=[[Mail & Guardian]]}}</ref>
[[File:Zuma-court-crowd.jpg|thumb|316x316px|A crowd of supporters and curious onlookers outside the [[Johannesburg High Court]] during the rape trial|left]]
Zuma's supporters publicly expressed the view that his dismissal and prosecution were the result of a political conspiracy by Mbeki, who they said had sought to oust Zuma to entrench their dominance in the ANC.<ref name="Booysen-2011"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Pearce|first=Justin|date=10 October 2005|title=Analysis: SA's Zuma in the dock|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4328360.stm|url-status=live|access-date=20 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061222142221/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4328360.stm|archive-date=22 December 2006}}</ref> Zuma's court appearances on the corruption charges drew large crowds of supporters (on one estimate, up to 10,000 at a time),<ref name="Robinson-2006">{{cite web|last1=Robinson|first1=Vicki|last2=Table|first2=Rapule|last3=Haffajee|first3=Ferial|date=28 April 2006|title=23 days that shook our world|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2006-04-28-23-days-that-shook-our-world|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126131956/http://mg.co.za/article/2006-04-28-23-days-that-shook-our-world|archive-date=26 November 2016|access-date=26 November 2016|website=[[Mail & Guardian]]}}</ref> who, on one occasion, burned T-shirts with Mbeki's picture on them, which the ANC leadership condemned.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2005-10-12|title=Mbeki T-shirt burning riles ANC|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/mbeki-t-shirt-burning-riles-anc-20051012|access-date=2022-01-11|website=News24|language=en-US}}</ref> Zuma became known for singing the apartheid-era struggle song "''[[Umshini wami]]''" (English: ''Bring Me My Machine Gun'') with his supporters during these informal rallies.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2012-05-14|title=Will Zuma's 'Letha umshini wami' (Bring my Machine gun) song win him second term?|url=https://www.news24.com/News24/Will-Zumas-Letha-umshini-wami-Bring-my-Machine-gun-song-win-him-second-term-20120514|access-date=2022-01-11|website=News24|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Gunner|first=Liz|date=2009|title=Jacob Zuma, the Social Body and the Unruly Power of Song|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27667093|journal=African Affairs|volume=108|issue=430|pages=27–48|doi=10.1093/afraf/adn064|jstor=27667093|issn=0001-9909}}</ref> Likewise, during the rape trial, Zuma supporters gathered outside the courthouse and sometimes clashed with smaller groups of anti-rape protesters.<ref name="Humphreys-2006"/><ref>{{cite news|date=13 February 2006|title=Zuma rape case judge stands down|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4707464.stm|url-status=live|access-date=20 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090112021906/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4707464.stm|archive-date=12 January 2009}}</ref><ref name="The Guardian-2006"/> Zuma supporters were seen carrying posters questioning Khwezi's integrity, burning photos of her, and on one occasion throwing stones at a woman that they mistook for her.<ref name="Mail & Guardian-2006"/><ref>{{cite web|date=14 February 2006|title=Accuser insulted as Zuma hailed at court|url=http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20060214102144364C522654|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060225010841/http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20060214102144364C522654|archive-date=25 February 2006|access-date=20 December 2007|work=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|Independent Online]]}}</ref>

By October 2008, Zuma had been acquitted of rape<ref name="Humphreys-2006"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Meldrum|first=Andrew|date=9 May 2006|title=Acquitted Zuma ready to fight for presidency|work=The Guardian|location=London|url=https://www.theguardian.com/southafrica/story/0,,1770514,00.html|access-date=5 May 2010}}</ref> and was no longer subject to corruption charges. However, this did little to lighten the rivalry between Mbeki and Zuma. A ''[[Mail & Guardian]]'' analysis stated:<blockquote>The political damage [of events of recent months] is incalculable, with the ruling African National Congress now an openly divided and faltering movement. This has had a [[domino effect]] on the South African Communist Party and the Congress of South African Trade Unions, which have floundered and fractured in the face of damaging charges against a man they ardently backed as the country's next president. The trial has been fought against the backdrop of a bitter succession war between Mbeki and Zuma. Both have been fatally wounded. Mbeki's support in the ANC has crumbled... But even Zuma's most diehard supporters privately acknowledge that he cannot now be president...<ref name="Robinson-2006" /></blockquote>
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