The media regularly reports on corruption and all sorts of malice linked to President Jacob Zuma. The endless negativity inspires analysts and critics, mostly from the advantaged community to sharpen their tirades against the President. Although I am not a supporter of President Zuma, I suggest that his critics should re-examine their contempt. In retrospect, the President may be the greatest ally that the previous and current advantaged sections of our society have had for some time.

Consider the following:

Every mistake President Zuma makes, benefits his political foes. Is this not in the interest of those who do not vote ANC to begin with. Secondly, the rise of President Zuma resulted in the formation of COPE, AGANG and the EFF just to mention a few. These majorities black African constituted parties will in time reduce the existing support of the ANC. Thirdly the erosion of votes will be slow but steady as the ANC is unable to gratify the relentless greed of all its cadres. Fourthly the employ of inept cadres will lead to more ANC municipalities being declared bankrupt as they are unable to obtain clean audits and provide basic services. Hiring costly consultants will not help as the problem remains the quality of the cadre that is redeployed. For example, one qualified and dedicated police officer is superior to ten unqualified and inept officers. No consultant on earth can change that reality.

 

Fifthly, it was probably President Zuma who was behind the ousting of Julius Malema and Zwelinzima Vavi from the tripartite. Malema with his diabolical version of black empowerment was measured as a threat to the economic interests of the elite. Vavi’s worker socialistic rhetoric was painful to capitalists.

 

Sixthly, Thabo Mbeki, the father of the African Renaissance was disgracefully exiled by President Zuma into the political wilderness. Mbeki’s dream of a majestic Africa free of the imperial agenda was shattered. States like Egypt, Sudan, Libya and other nations fell to their knees as western imperialism was resurrected across Africa. Had Mbeki been in power, I doubt that these catastrophes would have happened with such ease.

 

Those who regularly spew their thinly disguised hatred at President Zuma should ponder the above and consider how these events have advanced the agenda of the wealthy. Though the Presidents private life could easily translate into an erogenous Hollywood blockbuster, what makes Zuma worse than President François Hollande and his affair with a French movie star? Nicolas Sarkozy was also having an affair while he was the President of France. What about Bill Clinton, how many affairs did he have before Monica Lewinsky? Even Prince Charles cheated on Lady Dianna while the global media tactfully muted themselves.

 

Obviously I am not trying to justify this erroneous behaviour; the point is simply that President Zuma is no different to any other leader who has access to power. At least Zuma married his woman unlike JF Kennedy who possibly had Marylyn Monroe killed.

 

Unlike many other states, we have the freedom to discuss all of the above without fear. Had I lived and written this about a head of state in the Middle East, in the Far East, in Africa or in Eastern Europe I would have been killed? Life in under President Zuma is not just about depravity. His critics with hindsight should thank the ANC and Zuma for this freedom of speech.

 

Perhaps Oscar Wilde said it best “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”

 

Cllr Yagyah Adams

Cape Muslim Congress

 

Total Page Visits: 346 - Today Page Visits: 1