Archbishop Desmond Tutu takes swipe at President Jacob Zuma over Gupta relationship.

Cape Town ­ Archbishop Desmond Tutu yesterday took a swipe at President Jacob Zuma and his administration, questioning the president’s relationships with the Gupta family and Schabir Shaik.

Mr Tutu, who officially retired from public life last year, was delivering his annual Desmond Tutu Ecumenical Lecture at the University of the Western Cape.

He said: "I am very fond of President Zuma. He is affable and warm *1. But I do believe it would have been better for him to have been pronounced innocent *2 by a court of law weighing the evidence rather than through a dubious administrative act."

Mr Zuma’s relationship with the Gupta family was "worrisome", he said. "Perhaps the Gupta family would make all those lucrative deals and it is merely coincidental that the president’s son is a beneficiary. It may all be above board but it is worrisome *2 ... I am sure it is all in order but it is disturbing that there are these seeming coincidences."

Mr Zuma’s closeness to the Guptas has made news lately with critics saying the family has undue influence over the Zuma government.

Mr Tutu also questioned Mr Shaik’s parole, saying "it is worrying when his close relationship to the president is put in juxtaposition. It may be that there is nothing to worry about *2 with the parole of Shaik, but it must raise eyebrows when someone who was said to be at death’s door is shown to be playing golf."

Mr Tutu also warned that corruption was dragging SA backwards. "Our country, with such tremendous potential, is going to be dragged backwards and downwards by corruption, which, in some instances *2, is quite blatant."

He said skilled people were being sidelined on the basis of political affiliation. "We have many very competent people in this country, people of all races ... people who are today being sidelined because the first qualification is not ability, not calibre, but political affiliation."

Mr Tutu said there was a need for a return to a constituency-based electoral system.

With acknowledgements to Bekezela Phakathi and Business Day.

*1       And sweaty and sticky.

Needs 15 minutes nooky.

Quick.

Needs 15 minute shower.

Quick Quick.


Needs 15 years in prison.

No so quick.


*2      The Arch, doing what he's best at - putting his mielie in his mouth.