Publication: The Natal Witness
Issued:
Date: 2005-06-16
Reporter: Graham McIntosh
|
The Dismissal of Jacob Zuma |
| Publication |
The Natal Witness
|
| Date |
2005-06-16
|
|
Reporter
|
Graham McIntosh |
|
Web Link
|
www.witness.co.za
|
In June 1999 when Jacob Zuma and I were signing our oaths of allegiance as
newly elected Members of Parliament, I joked with him that now we were both
imisila (tadpoles or new boys). One could do that because Zuma is a delightful
human being. He embodies the best of Zulu culture in its ubuntu (humanity), its
ukuhlonipha (courtesy) and that relaxed confidence that members of old
imperialist nations like the Zulu and British seem to have.
He also had a liberated spirit and a great sense of humour. There were no chips
on his shoulders. It is understandable why he was one of the very few leaders of
the ANC who could find a genuine resonance with the Zulu leadership of the IFP.
Despite all the human empathy that I have and retain for Zuma, I found myself
getting goose pimples, so immensely proud *1 was I,
when I listened to President Thabo Mbeki's announcement in Parliament on
Tuesday, that his friend and colleague, Deputy President Jacob Zuma, had to step
down.
It was the same emotions that welled up in me when, in 1978, Judge Anton Mostert
exposed Minister Owen Horwood's cover-up and so opened that can of worms now
known as the Information Scandal. It was the thrill of
experiencing a champion of right vanquishing wrong *2.
I also felt grateful that we have a president who has not shirked his
responsibilities as a leader nor in doing his duty to his own conscience, to our
Constitution, to our beloved country, to Africa and the international community.
By calling a joint session of Parliament and appropriately making the important
announcement there, Mbeki confirmed the importance of that finest flower of
democracy and his accountability to the institution. Integrity and moral
leadership are the finest attributes in a head of state and, sadly, they are not
always found.
Mbeki has reinforced, within our new democracy, that noble tradition in politics
where it is expected that people conduct themselves honourably, even if they are
not found guilty in court. If a person in an office as senior and powerful as
the Deputy President has to pay a huge price for a link to corruption, then that
is a powerful message to all politicians in Africa, in South Africa, but
especially to those within the ANC. The African and international community has
warmly welcomed that message.
Why Zuma had to be pushed and didn't jump, has been puzzling to many people. One
can understand Zuma's natural instinct to cling to the wreckage, but his
supporters (ANC Youth League, SACP, Young Communists, ANC Women's League) seem
to have had no insight into the aura, reputation or isithunzi that is part of
political responsibility. In public life one must be, like Caesar's wife, above
suspicion, even if you have not been convicted by a court of law. Perhaps the
explanation why somebody as shrewd as Zwelinzima Vavi defended Zuma, is because
there is no chapter on ethics in the Communist Manifesto!
In the final analysis, Zuma had to go because our national reputation for good
governance, probity and public ethics demanded it. Judge Hilary Squires's
judgment was unemotional, convincing,
elegant and articulate
in addressing the specific and general issues. Mbeki clearly grasped the issues
as well as their importance to our wider national interest. Although a nice man
has had to pay a high price, Mbeki has brought honour to South Africa and to
South Africans.
Graham McIntosh farms in the Estcourt district and is a former member of
Parliament.
With acknowledgement to Graham McIntosh and The Natal Witness.
*1 The President did what a president had to do.
Thabo Mbeki still has a lot to answer for regarding his conduct in both the
acquisition process of the Stategic Defence Packages and even more in the
cover-up of its invesigation by his refusal to grant a proclamation to a Special
Investigation Unit to investigate said SDPs and, moreso in the farcical Joint
Investigation Team's Joint Report.
It is far more likely that the man is buying goodwill now in case Part 4 and
beyond of the SDP legal processes expose more than can be controlled.
*2 The observer seems to be somewhere between +/- 90 and +/- 180 degrees out of
alignment with reality.