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Only
an alien, newly arrived to planet earth from outer space, will be
ignorant of the fact that black people love to dance and love to sing
and do both with distinction. And of the multitudes of black people on
the planet who love to gyrate to the natural, supernatural, and
artificial rhythms which resound within and without their beings, South
Africans, often do so more than most. And this they do with majestic
aplomb, and often regardless of their circumstances. For even during
those dreadful days of apartheid, they sang and danced in defiance of
their oppressors and in hope of the emergence of a better day. And as
one ancient recorded in his mystic wisdom aeons ago; ‘to the dancer
belongs the universe.’
As
far as politicians go, there are not many who can sing or dance or to
who belong the universe; but there is to be found within these ranks,
insofar as singing and dancing is concerned, a notable exception, in
South Africa
’s
Jacob Zuma. Jacob Zuma is the colourful and controversial president of
the African National Congress (ANC); and also a one time deputy
president of
South Africa
.
Charismatic and larger than life; he can sing, he can dance, and even
choreograph a crowd, in a way that would have been pleasing to the late
soul brother number one - James Brown.
All things being equal - which they rarely ever are - Jacob Zuma is widely expected to become
South Africa
’s
next president. That is, as far as the democratic principle of one man
one vote is concerned. And the numbers seem overwhelmingly in his
favour. So he should be a shoo-in for the presidency in elections next
year. But things are hardly ever that straight forward with Jacob Zuma.
So he still has many rivers to cross and mountains to surmount before
he reaches his political Promised Land.
Not
surprisingly for a man of Jacob Zuma’s controversial nature, there has
been more than a whiff of scandal about him. Not long ago now, he was
accused, tried, and acquitted of having raped the daughter of a friend.
Who as it turns out was HIV positive and with whom he had unprotected
sexual congress. Although he won judgement in that case, his personal
judgment was called into question. But Jacob Zuma is not larger than
life for nothing. With a wave of a dismissive hand he brushed aside any
doubts about his personal judgment; explaining that after his intimate
relations with the woman, he took a shower with medicated soap, and so
there was nothing more to it.
It
was the sort of unbelievable response that only a maverick like Jacob
Zuma could have come up with and still retain his political relevance.
But that said; he is no ordinary politician. He has his heart and
fingers on the pulse of the people of his nation. Many of whom are poor
and disproportionately so. These people continue to suffer from the
residual effects of years of abuse and neglect by the apartheid regime.
The deleterious effects of which are manifest in their lack of adequate
education, skills, and training; serious deficiencies which put them at
a competitive disadvantage in their nation’s economy.
For
these people, political emancipation has yet to yield the desired
concomitant benefits of economic prosperity. Things are beginning to
change, but ever so slowly, and it will take years, if not generations
to offset the inequalities of the apartheid years.
So for the many poor in
South Africa
,
it is no surprise that they believe that it is only someone who
understands their plight that can help them out of their dire economic
situation. And it is in Jacob Zuma that they - rightly or wrongly -
have identified their champion. Madiba Mandela, a true champion of his
people, but whose presidency was largely symbolic; with little expected
of it in terms of concrete deliverables. These expectations were to be
placed upon President Thabo Mbeki’s government. But for some reason,
President Mbeki, has come to be seen, at least in the estimation of
these people, as being too aloof and detached from the reality of their
suffering.
This
explains in large measure their reposal of faith in Jacob Zuma. In
their estimation, he not only speaks their ‘language,’ but also sings
their songs and does their dances, and has the common touch. His earthy
style resonates with them. Their demonstration of confidence in him was
underlined by their overwhelming endorsement of his candidacy in the
last ANC presidential elections. Elections in which, he trounced
President Mbeki in resounding fashion. It was quite a feat. For rarely
ever is an incumbent president defeated in a party election by such a
candidate.
But
President Mbeki - trounced or not - has a reputation for being an
intelligent and wily man. And he has said in reference to Jacob Zuma;
that it will take more than an ability to sing or dance to win power
and govern in
South Africa
.
From this sentiment alone, it is clear that there is not much love lost
between them. Their political paths no longer intersect; in fact they
now collide. It is perhaps for these reasons that recent attempts to
revive corruption charges against Jacob Zuma are thought to be
politically motivated. For if a trial does take place, Zuma’s ambitions
to become president are practically dead in the water.
His many supporters, suspicious of the motives and the timing of attempts to revive the corruption charges, threaten to make
South Africa
ungovernable,
if his ambition is not allowed to flourish. I hope that some
accommodation can be reached between those at the top of the ANC, in
order to prevent
South Africa
’s descent into anarchy. There must be wise men and women in the ANC to prevent such an occurrence.
Given
President Mbeki’s antipathy towards him and his ambition, Jacob Zuma
has taken to adopting opposite views to him on a number of issues. He
has been swift and unequivocal in his condemnation of President Mugabe
and the situation in
Zimbabwe
. He has also taken to expressing concern at the level of ‘white poverty’ in
South Africa
.
All of course, are positions he has adopted to assure influential
whites and whites in general, within and without South Africa, that he
is a man with whom they can do business. He is seeking to become all
things to all men in typical political fashion.
But
for all his idiosyncrasies, Jacob Zuma evokes in me, and for totally
non-political reasons, nostalgic memories of times past. His surname
reminds me of the central character in Peter Abrahams' excellent novel
‘Mine Boy’ ‘Xuma.’ No doubt, this association of factual and fictional
personalities is due to the nearness in the spelling of their names;
and the fact that the ‘Mine Boy’ story is based in
South Africa
.
‘Xuma’ from the north; was a stranger in the dark, who arrives at Malay
Camp, at night in search of a better day; but is to experience mixed
fortunes in his quest. He was to be unlucky in love. As the object of
his affections ‘Eliza’ was far too scarred psychologically by the
effects of apartheid, to be able to accept the idea, or the love, of a
black boyfriend.
If
Zuma from Kwa-Zulu Natal is to fare better than ‘Xuma’ from the north,
in the attainment of the object of his affection; South Africa’s
presidency. He will have to change his ways and begin to comport
himself in a presidential manner. Such change will have to involve a
change in his song and dance routine; no more can he afford to be seen
singing and dancing to the words of his favourite and popular
liberation song from the days of the struggle:
‘Give me my machine gun…’
Rather, he will now have to start singing and dancing to a new song, which begins:
‘Give me your votes …’
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Posted by Robot| 28.08.2008 22:28