S Africans gather in support of Zuma

Published: 7:54 PM, Jul 03, 2021

Supporters march in the street outside former South African president Jacob Zuma痴 rural home in Nkandla on July 3, 2021. Jacob Zuma on July 2, 2021 mounted a last-ditch legal bid to avoid prison after the country's top court ordered him jailed for failing to appear before graft investigators. In a landmark ruling, the Constitutional Court on June 29, 2021 handed Zuma a 15-month term for contempt after he snubbed a probe into the theft of state assets under his tenure. / AFP / Emmanuel Croset

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NKANDLA

Hundreds of supporters gathered in a show of solidarity for former South African president Jacob Zuma outside his Nkandla homestead Saturday, as the deadline looms for him to hand himself over. In an unprecedented ruling, Zuma was on Tuesday told by the constitutional court to hand himself over by Sunday to start a 15-month jail term for contempt of court.

Supporters, mainly members of the African National Congress's Umkhonto Wesizwe military wing, have for weeks camped outside Zuma's home in KwaZula-Natal province in solidarity with the former leader.

Donning traditional leopard skins and ostrich feathers - wielding spears, shields and clubs known as "knobkerries," men known as "amaButho," or Zulu regiments marched in the streets of Nkandla, singing praise songs about Zuma.

Bare-breasted women in elaborate necklaces and headbands danced and sang as they paraded.

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