Publication: The Star Issued: Date: 2006-05-29 Reporter: Sed Logan

SA Does Not Deserve Adulterous President

 

Publication 

The Star
Date 2006-05-29

Reporter

 Sed Logan

Web Link

www.thestar.co.za

 

For very obvious reasons, Jacob Zuma, in his own inimitable fashion, has become "Newsmaker of 2006".

When he was relieved of his position as deputy president by Thabo Mbeki last year, it was because of an "unholy alliance" with Schabir Shaik and an alleged bribery concerning the arms deal.

Last November, he became involved in a rape allegation by a somewhat disturbed woman. At the rape trial, much to the delight of his supporters, spearheaded by the ANC Youth League, Zuma was acquitted.

Zuma, (unbelievably) head of the National Aids Council and the ANC's Moral Regeneration Movement, had condomless sex with this HIV-positive woman and then took the infamous shower "to minimise the risk of contracting the disease". He committed adultery.

On the strength of his acquittal he is already back in the upper echelons of the ANC as their deputy president - but has yet to face the corruption trial in July.

So here we have a once-respected politician with a rape trial behind him and a corruption trial ahead of him, all in the space of a few months - who aims to be the president of South Africa.

The SA Communist Party, also a staunch supporter of Zuma, shows little affection towards Mbeki. Opinion in the SACP indicates that Zuma could be a front-runner as the next president of this country.

But Allister Sparks (Opinion and Analysis, The Star, May 17) makes a very cogent and compelling point: Zuma's supporters must know that if he becomes our president, South Africa's reputation in the world will plummet. Right now we stand as a moral beacon in the community of nations, and it's taken us a long time to reach that point. SA does not deserve an adulterer as president.*1

Sed Logan, Johannesburg

With acknowledgements to Sed Logan and The Star.


*1 This would count out quite a few of the world's better presidents and possibly some of SA's presidents.

Me thinks adultery is not a good thing, but there are far worse characteristics which should preclude a person from being a president or deputy president - like a thick skull.