South Africa's ruling ANC tries to defuse standoff over Zuma

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party has sent some of its top leaders to defuse rising tensions over the pending arrest of former President Jacob Zuma

JOHANNESBURG -- South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party has sent some of its top leaders to defuse rising tensions over the pending arrest of former President Jacob Zuma. Earlier this week, Zuma was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment by the Constitutional Court for contempt of court. He has until Sunday to hand himself over to authorities, after which the police are ordered to arrest him. Hundreds of Zuma’s staunchest supporters have gathered outside his home in KwaZulu-Natal province, vowing to resist any police attempts to take him into custody. But many other ANC supporters and ordinary South Africans have welcomed the ruling against Zuma, saying his arrest is necessary to tackle the country’s rampant corruption.