By Craig Timberg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, May 10, 2006

JOHANNESBURG, May 9 -- The day after being cleared of rape charges, Jacob Zuma, South Africa's former deputy president, publicly apologized Tuesday for having unprotected sex with a 31-year-old family friend infected with HIV. He also made clear that he is resuming political activities, including a bid to become president.

Zuma, appearing at a nationally broadcast news conference, acknowledged that he was "not an angel" and said he agreed with Johannesburg High Court Judge Willem van der Merwe, who ruled that the sexual encounter on Nov. 2 at Zuma's home was consensual but "totally unacceptable."

"I erred in having unprotected sex. I should have known better and, I should have acted with greater responsibility," said Zuma, 64. "For this I apologize to all people of this country."

Despite this and other conciliatory remarks, including kind words for both the prosecutors and his accuser, Zuma did not back down on the most controversial elements of his testimony. He reiterated his belief that the knee-length skirt worn by his accuser was one of several signals that she wanted to have sex. And he said it was sensible and "hygienic" to shower immediately after intercourse with a woman infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

"If you've been in the kitchen peeling onions, you clean your hands," Zuma said. He also said an HIV test in March showed that he was not infected.

Zuma repeatedly accused news organizations of having "vilified him" and blamed the rape charges and a looming corruption trial on a political conspiracy.

He declined to name the alleged conspirators other than South Africa's former chief prosecutor, Bulelani Ngcuka. Ngcuka investigated Zuma's financial affairs before resigning from the job in 2004 and is the husband of Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who replaced Zuma as deputy president after he was fired in June.

Many Zuma supporters accuse President Thabo Mbeki of engineering Zuma's political and legal troubles as a way to keep him from becoming president in the next national election, in 2009. Mbeki fired Zuma as deputy president in June after a close friend and financial adviser of Zuma's was convicted of having a "generally corrupt relationship" with him.

Asked directly about his relations with Mbeki, Zuma acknowledged that the two had not spoken since the verdict was rendered Monday afternoon but said he expected to resume regular contact soon.

Political discussion throughout South Africa has focused over the past two days on whether Zuma, whom many people once regarded as the presidential heir apparent, can rehabilitate himself politically in the aftermath of the rape trial. He remains one of the nation's most popular figures, with a broad and vocal base of supporters, especially among union activists, the downtrodden and members of his Zulu tribe, one of South Africa's largest ethnic groups.

No candidate has yet emerged as the clear favorite to become president of the party, the ruling African National Congress, in 2007 or of the country in 2009. Mbeki recently said that the next president of South Africa should be a woman.

In responses to questions Tuesday, Zuma repeatedly made clear that he is resuming all political activities as deputy party president even though his other trial, on corruption charges, is due to begin in July. Zuma had suspended many of his party activities in December before the rape trial.

The ANC, the party of both Zuma and Mbeki, plans to meet next year to discuss succession and other matters. Mbeki is barred by the constitution from running for a third five-year term as president of South Africa, though he could run for party president again. Should some other candidate win the party post, that person likely would be the presumptive next president of the nation because of the ANC's dominance of politics.

It is considered poor form within the ANC for even top leaders to express interest in attaining higher office. Zuma hewed to that convention in his remarks Tuesday, even while making clear his interest in the presidency of the party and the nation.

"Over the years," Zuma said, "I've never refused a task given me by the ANC, and I'm not about to do so now."