Fergal Keane
Made to Sweat: Jacob Zuma came under fire on British TV Picture:
Elizabeth Sejake
ANC shrugs off shock BBC feature on South African corruption and crime
The ANC has dismissed as creating a false impression an interview with Jacob
Zuma shown on the BBC's flagship current affairs programme, Panorama in
which the interviewer asks Zuma: "Are you a crook?"
A clearly uneasy Zuma replies: "Me? Well,
I don't know. I must go to a dictionary and learn
what a crook is. I've never been a crook."
The question was one of many thrown at the ANC president in the documentary, No
More Mandelas, broadcast on Monday night. Others referred to his testimony in
court that he had taken a precautionary shower after having unprotected sex with
a HIV-positive woman.
Journalist Fergal Keane asked: "Ethically and morally *1,
are you fit to lead this country?"
Zuma replied: "Absolutely."
Frank Chikane, director-general in the presidency, was also grilled by Keane
about Mbeki's pronouncements on HIV and Aids. The documentary posed the
question: "Has Nelson Mandela's promise of a new South Africa been squandered,
or was he always going to be too hard an act to follow?"
Its conclusion seemed to be that the Mandela dream has been dashed by his
successors, who had failed to grapple with poverty, Aids, crime and corruption.
ANC spokesman Tiyani Rikhotso said yesterday: "It is unfortunate that we cannot
stop perceptions generated by the documentary, but [Zuma] has just been charged,
and not found guilty.
"The country is on course. The impression created is not a true reflection of
what's going on. People can interpret it any way they want, but I can assure you
the ANC is not going to the dogs.
"The status quo remains. Mr Zuma will remain the prime candidate for state
president in the coming general elections," Rikhotso said.
Keane wrote on the BBC website: "Of course, there is much that is good in South
Africa. One of the men I admire most in the country, Professor Kader Asmal ...
told me to remember that the country still had strong independent institutions
and a vibrant civil society that could hold politicians to account.
"But ... there is a mood in the ruling party that is moving against such
independence."
With acknowledgements to
Nkululeko Ncana
and The Times.
The tough questions and his answers KEANE: A lot of people think you're a crook ...
ZUMA: Is that so? (laughs). I want to see those people so they can tell
me why they think I'm a crook.
KEANE: Well, there's a whole army of prosecutors who
clearly think it.
ZUMA: Eh-ha? Is that so? Serious?
KEANE: Are you a crook?
ZUMA: Me? Well, I don't know, I must go to a dictionary and learn what a crook
is. I've never been a crook.
KEANE: Somebody who takes money from other people for
corrupt purposes?
ZUMA: Have I ever done so?
KEANE: I'm asking you.
ZUMA: No, I think that's a mistake you guys have made and I've said, I can't
have two trials trial by the media and trial by court.
I'm saying I'm not a crook. I have never been a crook. I will never be a crook.
*2
*1*2Moral relativity is true.