Publication: The Natal Witness
Issued:
Date: 2006-01-07
Reporter:
Reporter:
The
situation is not simply confusing; it is bizarre . .
.
Last month Jacob Zuma announced that he was voluntarily suspending
himself from all his roles within the ANC, including that of its deputy
president for as long as his two court trials lasted. Now, it has been announced
that, in spite of this undertaking, he will be present in Cape Town this weekend
to participate in the launch by President Thabo Mbeki of the ANC’s local
government election campaign. Will he simply be present? Will he make a speech?
Will he receive a hero’s welcome?
Jacob Zuma is no longer deputy
president of the country. President Mbeki’s removal of him from this office was
a deciding moment in South Africa’s political history. Zuma’s position within
the ANC is not as clear. It seems that his voluntary suspension from office in
the party will not prevent him from taking part in the coming election campaign.
He will have to suspend this participation in February in order to undergo a
trial for rape. The situation is not simply confusing; it is bizarre, even if he
has not been found guilty. The impression left on the public mind is that when a
player is as popular as Zuma still is in his political constituency, he must be
given his chance no matter how dark a cloud hangs over him. Expediency becomes the order of the day.
These
columns have raised questions before about the role
of Mbeki in this convoluted situation. The ANC’s
comment about Zuma’s presence in Cape Town has come from the deputy
secretary-general, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele. It is possible that Mbeki’s silence
is his way of seeking to preserve the dignity of his office and to avoid comment
where judicial process is in the offing. On the other hand, his silence as ANC
leader contributes to a lot of surmising. A brief, clear statement from him for
the sake of clarity would be wise and he has an opportunity to make it in Cape
Town this weekend. With ackowledgements to The Natal Witness.