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| South Africa's Jacob Zuma denies being 'king of corrupt people' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| South Africa's ex-President Jacob Zuma told a judge-led inquiry that allegations of corruption against him were a "conspiracy" aimed at removing him from the political scene. | South Africa's ex-President Jacob Zuma told a judge-led inquiry that allegations of corruption against him were a "conspiracy" aimed at removing him from the political scene. |
| He was appearing for the first time at the inquiry, which is investigating allegations that he oversaw a web of corruption during his term in office. | He was appearing for the first time at the inquiry, which is investigating allegations that he oversaw a web of corruption during his term in office. |
| His supporters cheered when he entered building. | His supporters cheered when he entered building. |
| Mr Zuma was forced to resign as president in February 2018. | Mr Zuma was forced to resign as president in February 2018. |
| He was replaced by his then deputy Cyril Ramaphosa, who promised to tackle corruption in South Africa. Mr Ramaphosa described Mr Zuma's nine years in office as "wasted". | |
| The allegations against Mr Zuma focus on his relationship with the controversial Gupta family, which was accused of influencing cabinet appointments and winning lucrative state tenders through corruption. | The allegations against Mr Zuma focus on his relationship with the controversial Gupta family, which was accused of influencing cabinet appointments and winning lucrative state tenders through corruption. |
| He has also been accused of taking bribes from logistics firm Bosasa, run by the Watson family. | |
| They all deny allegations of wrongdoing. | |
| What did Mr Zuma's testimony say? | |
| Looking relaxed and at times animated, Mr Zuma alleged that foreign intelligence agencies, which he did not name, were behind a decades-long plot to remove him from office. | |
| "I have been vilified, alleged to be the king of corrupt people," Mr Zuma told the inquiry led by Judge Ray Zondo. | |
| "I have been given every other name and I have never responded to those issues," he added. | |
| He objected to allegations that he had allowed the state to be "captured" by the Gupta family, and had auctioned the country. | |
| "Did I auction Table mountain? Did I auction Johannesburg?" he said. | |
| On the eve of the hearing Mr Zuma was in a good mood. He tweeted a video of himself laughing at the chant "Zuma must fall!" | |
| How did 'state capture' operate in South Africa? | |
| Many of the revelations from the inquiry concern the relationship between two families - the Zumas, centred on the former president, and the Guptas, three Indian-born brothers who moved to South Africa after the fall of apartheid. | |
| The two families became so closely linked that a joint term was coined for them - the "Zuptas". | |
| The Guptas owned a portfolio of companies that enjoyed lucrative contracts with South African government departments and state-owned conglomerates. They also employed several Zuma family members - including the president's son, Duduzane - in senior positions. | |
| According to testimony heard at the inquiry, the Guptas went to great lengths to influence their most important client, the South African state. | |
| Public officials responsible for various state bodies say they were directly instructed by the Guptas to take decisions that would advance the brothers' business interests. | |
| It is alleged that compliance was rewarded with money and promotion, while disobedience was punished with dismissal. |