Politics in South Africa

South Africa's President Kgalema Motlanthe has announced that general elections will take place on April 22nd. African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma is the favorite to become president, but he is currently facing corruption charges. A group of disappointed ANC members left and formed a rival party in 2008. The party was deeply divided between supporters of Zuma and former President Thabo Mbeki. Mbeki was forced from power in September 2008 after a judge accused his government of interfering in the prosecution of Zuma for political reasons. However, an appeal court in January 2009 ruled that the first judge had been wrong to reach this conclusion. The election will take place on April 22nd. Zuma's corruption trial has been set for August. He has said he would only step down if convicted.
I think that this is a very important event for South Africa. It hasa also been covered a lot by the media, more than other things that have happened in South Africa. It is said that this election is supposed to be the most interesting since Nelson Mandela became president in 1994, ending white minority rule.