ANC president Jacob Zuma cannot be president of the country because he cannot be trusted, insists the Democratic Alliance's Helen Zille.

"When voters put politicians in power, they must be able to trust them. Without trust, democracy goes bust.

"That is why Jacob Zuma cannot be President of this country. We cannot trust Zuma to act in the country's best interests when, as Head of State, he may abuse his power to get off on the corruption charges he faces.

"And we know he will, because he stands right in the middle of a closed, boetie-boetie circle, based on mutually re-inforcing interests.

"That always leads to power abuse, and more corruption," she said.

Zille said this was the same reason that South Africans could not trust Congress of the People premier candidate in the Western Cape, Allan Boesak.

"He [Boesak] has betrayed people's trust in the past, he stole from the poor to make himself rich. And he isn't even sorry for what he did. He says he would do it again!" she said.

Zille criticised Boesak for only being "interested in making himself richer, and we know what happens when people like that are put in charge, poor people become poorer!"

The opposition party leader recounted Boesak's criminal record and accused him of using funds meant for apartheid victims for himself.

"... he spent over R400 000 on his lifestyle of luxury. He put R140 000 towards a fancy house in Vredehoek. He used R120 000 to buy another larney house in Constantia.

"He spent over R30 000 on a trip to Disney Land. And his wife took over R7000 and spent it on clothes and jewellery. Is Boesak sorry about what he did? No! He has shown no remorse."

Zille warned that if Zuma became president of the country he would cover up corruption.

" The reasons for Boesak's pardon were never made public, just like the reasons for Shaik's parole have not been revealed. And just watch, Shaik will be pardoned too. Zuma has already hinted that, should he become president, he will give his friend a presidential pardon," she said.