By Ed Stoddard
Allegations that South Africa's top prosecutor was an apartheid-era spy appeared to be in tatters on Friday, with his main accusers failing to produce hard evidence after almost a week of testimony.
The spy saga and an official investigation of Deputy President Jacob Zuma for suspected graft have highlighted rifts in the ruling African National Congress ahead of general elections next year.
President Thabo Mbeki ordered the inquiry after accusations that Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka, who led the Zuma probe, spied for the apartheid regime in the 1980s.
Testimonies before retired judge Joos Hefer have dominated national media this week but there has been little substance to back up the spy claims.
"The testimony so far has been an outrageous waste of time and money," This Day newspaper said.
The allegations against Ngcuka emerged as he investigated charges that Zuma sought a bribe from a French weapons firm as part of a multi-billion dollar arms deal.
Former Transport Minister Mac Maharaj, an ANC stalwart, reiterated his assertion this week that Ngcuka spied for the apartheid government, based on a report given to him by former ANC intelligence operative Mo Shaik.
Maharaj said Shaik was his only source and that he could not say for sure if Ngcuka was a spy. Shaik testified that he could not reveal his sources, prompting Hefer to say he could not then take such information seriously.
Local media and analysts have speculated that the accusations are part of a smear campaign aimed at Ngcuka because his office has been investigating high-level ANC members - and that Mbeki called their bluff by ordering the inquiry.
"I'm not engaged in a smear campaign... it's not a smear campaign," Shaik told the inquiry on Friday.
Prosecutors said in August they had prima facie evidence against Zuma but would not prosecute him because the case would be unwinnable N spurring a furious Zuma to accuse Ngcuka of subjecting him to trial by media. - Reuters