He’s just what you asked for
16 May 2010
President Jacob Zuma has spoilt many of our ragga nights. This much I can say of the mindless debates that went into trashing his soul, people trying to figure out his image outside ANC policy drivel: a year later, no one believes in his presidency except for Zizi Kodwa.
I can think of Freedom Day as one of the most dismal gigs so far. The commenterati of this world had a field day, openly PMSing all over him.
At least Kodwa came out this week and penned a glorious article on his boss – a presidential storybook of successes that contrasts starkly with the reality on the ground.
Kodwa talks of “the institutions of democratic state” that are firmly in place and the economy being stable, growing and creating jobs – when Zuma spoke of 900000 jobs lost since the recession started in his State of the Nation speech in February.
On Freedom Day he tried to hide his guff in jest, but everything was too revealing.
A member of the opposition party had to step in to give context to the meaning of the day – give the day a subject, frame its narrative and give perspective of where we stand as a continent in the global contraption.
I have never seen a president widely intimidated when he reads his speeches – going as far as laughing at the words written on his paper.
But we knew all along President Zuma wasn’t well adjusted.
He came in fleshed with pop culture superfluities – “man of the people”, “keeper of the unity flame”, “a post-modernist”, “a man with a healthy male libido”, “an attractive blonde of the 2009 election campaign” who was “chosen in a most convincing manner” – something as perverse as playing bozo of the party.
You can think of all the urban stereotypes – they fit him well.
According to the ANC and its heroes, that is the measure of a good leader – someone infused with a proper political voice. The presidency does not have a senior moment that one can recall and give proper glory.
Zuma, as of the day he took his vows, was the symbol of decadence that the ANC was hoping for, praying for and willing to die for.
The opposition have found him to be shy of debate, saying: “He consistently refuses to engage in policy debates with leaders of opposition parties because he is out of his depth.”
So highlighting a year in office exposes him to the many issues he overlooked or the many thorny issues that he was afraid to tackle.
It is not like we are dealing with an impossible situation here.
For now it looks like he is the one stifling progress in government as charges of “incompetence” are being bandied about.
In as far as he celebrates his one year in the presidency, Zuma might as well live up to his election campaign billing. The ANC was praying for a man of the people – and they got him.
Know the saying “beware what you pray for”?
http://www.sundayworld.co.za/Home/Article.aspx?id=1142113
But he's getting "Educated"... 