South Africa: Payments 'were for Zuma RDP trust'

The "bribes" allegedly paid to Deputy President Jacob Zuma, which are at the centre of the corruption case against Schabir Shaik, have been explained away as mere donations to a charitable trust. The claim came as part of an all-out assault on the pillars of the state's case in the Durban High Court this week. Correspondence and meetings between Zuma, Shaik and Thomson-CSF officials were nothing more than attempts by Shaik to facilitate a donation by the arms company to the Jacob Zuma RDP Education Trust, Shaik's defence lawyer, Francois van Zyl, said.