VOA标准英语2008年-ANC Leadership Rallies Around New President Jac

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
08 January 2008

South Africa's ruling African National Congress says its recently elected leader, Jacob Zuma, will be its candidate for the South African presidency¹ in elections due next year. VOA's Scott Bobb reports from Johannesburg the ANC confirmed Zuma's candidacy, despite his pending² trial on corruption³ charges.

The secretary-general of the African National Congress, Gwede Mantashe, told reporters Tuesday a special committee is to draw up a detailed⁴ report on the $6 billion arms deal that is the source of corruption charges against the party's new president, Jacob Zuma.

"Once we get that report we can take informed decisions on what to do," said Mantashe. "At this point in time we have not asked for re-opening of the arms deal or anything. We just want detailed information."

The decision was made during the first meeting Monday of the ANC's National Executive Committee which was elected at a party congress last month. The congress overwhelmingly chose Zuma over South African President Thabo Mbeki who was seeking a third term as party leader.

The ANC has dominated national politics in South Africa since the end of apartheid 14 years ago. As a result Zuma is the frontrunner to succeed Mr. Mbeki who cannot run for a third term as the nation's president.

Mantashe reaffirmed the ANC's continued support for Zuma as its presidential candidate in national elections due next year.

"We have expressed our confidence that he will lead the ANC campaign in 2009 as the presidential candidate for the party," he said.

Zuma is due to go on trial in August, some eight months before the vote, on more than one dozen charges, including fraud, racketeering and tax evasion⁵. The charges were announced two weeks after his election to the ANC presidency. Zuma supporters like Mantashe believe they were aimed at thwarting⁶ his presidential bid.

"The suspicion is that obviously the way it [the case] is being handled it is seen to be a political trial which is conducted in the public domain⁷ rather than in court," said Mantashe.

Zuma supporters note that details about his case have frequently been leaked to the news media while investigations⁸ into other senior political leaders have been more discreet⁹.

Zuma was dismissed as South Africa's deputy-president two years ago after his financial counselor¹⁰ was convicted of soliciting¹¹ bribes¹² from the French arms manufacturer involved in the arms deal. He maintains his innocence¹³ which he says will be proven in the courts, but says he will step down if found guilty.

1 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

2 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

3 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

4 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

5 evasion   

n.逃避，偷漏(税)

参考例句：

• The movie star is in prison for tax evasion.那位影星因为逃税而坐牢。
• The act was passed as a safeguard against tax evasion.这项法案旨在防止逃税行为。

6 thwarting   

阻挠( thwart的现在分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过

参考例句：

• The republicans are trying to embarrass the president by thwarting his economic program. 共和党人企图通过阻挠总统的经济计划使其难堪。
• There were too many men resisting his authority thwarting him. 下边对他这个长官心怀不服的，故意作对的，可多着哩。

7 domain   

n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围

参考例句：

• This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
• This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。

8 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

9 discreet   

adj.(言行)谨慎的；慎重的；有判断力的

参考例句：

• He is very discreet in giving his opinions.发表意见他十分慎重。
• It wasn't discreet of you to ring me up at the office.你打电话到我办公室真是太鲁莽了。

10 counselor   

n.顾问，法律顾问

参考例句：

• The counselor gave us some disinterested advice.顾问给了我们一些无私的忠告。
• Chinese commercial counselor's office in foreign countries.中国驻国外商务参赞处。

11 soliciting   

v.恳求( solicit的现在分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求

参考例句：

• A prostitute was soliciting on the street. 一名妓女正在街上拉客。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• China Daily is soliciting subscriptions. 《中国日报》正在征求订户。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 bribes   

n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• corrupt officials accepting bribes 接受贿赂的贪官污吏

13 innocence   

n.无罪；天真；无害

参考例句：

• There was a touching air of innocence about the boy.这个男孩有一种令人感动的天真神情。
• The accused man proved his innocence of the crime.被告人经证实无罪。