JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's ruling party has reaffirmed its confidence in President Jacob Zuma, after a growing chorus of corruption allegations against the leader.

The senior leaders of the African National Congress said Sunday they were confident the party would win this year's local government elections because citizens too remained confident in the country's leadership.

The party's leadership committee was responding to allegations by officials that a wealthy, politically-connected family had offered them Cabinet posts, causing public outcry.

The African National Congress was founded in 1912 and has ruled since South Africa's first all-race elections in 1994, when it was led by late President Nelson Mandela. Zuma, now in his second term as South Africa's president, is also the leader of the ruling party.