Monday, September 25, 2006
The big Zuma debate
If your a middle or upper class South African, or white, asian, coloured - apparently its time to be worried. A Zuma presidency is looming.
Should they be worried? Can Zuma be so much worse they Mbeki? Can't he be better?
Ah! I hear you say: How can somebody that thinks showering after sex will offer protection againt HIV be President! Huh well... the current President untill very recently denied that HIV caused Aids at all, and still has not thrown his full wait behind combatting the disease. He is responsible for the deaths of thousands of South Africans, more that Adriaan Vlok, the ex apartheid minister of law and order, and arguably in a more direct way. At least Zuma has been contrite and come out strongly that HIV does cause Aids.
Ah, but Zuma is a socialist. Is he? None of his economic utterances have indicated that. South Africa needs some serious government intervention if equality is ever going to be adressed in a meaningfull way. The Mbeki government has been too hands off for too long. A bit more state in this country is exactly what we need. That does not mean it will have to be a socialist state. But a social demoracy that cares for all its citizens according to their needs.
At least Zuma has never been a racialist. Unlike Mbeki who it seems, people forget, has played the race card on more than one occasion.
Mhambi is not saying that Zuma will be good for South Africa. We don't really know. But whether he will be that much worse - well he has he work cut out if he wants to achieve that. Sphere: Related Content
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2 comments:
What boggles my mind is that in spite of all the mess-ups (Aids & Zimbabwe) that Mbeki may have done, none are greater than those of Zuma and what he's capable of. JZee, a rapist, chauvinist, corrupt, polygamist, adulterer, illiterate ... to put it mildly and mention a few, is exalted by huge majority in the ANC. There is obviously something totally wrong with Zuma supporters' morals and discernment of character for them to overlook such glaringly disgusting qualities in a "leader". Zuma won for a lack of more popular leader than Mbeki not that there aren't any better leaders other Mbeki and Zuma. Mbeki's spin-doctors were good but just too brainy for an uncomprehending ordinary man on street who relates better to the simple spoken, uneducated Zuma and his communists. Mbeki is basically viewed as uptight, strict and uncompromising with regards to financial corruption hence making a huge crowd (Zuma's camp) disgruntled, "underpaid" thus feeling as if the struggle is not paying off as anticipated "$$". Mbeki expects high levels of competency and discipline in his cabinet which most of Zuma's camp find repulsive thus opt for the laissez-faire Zuma's people-pleaser leadership style. Fikile Mbalula (not so educated as he is) displayed low levels of intellect through his infiltration of the ANCYL and ANC members which caused distorted and false views concerning Mbeki's administration. A Great saying goes by saying: a genius ahead of it's time is unappreciated. And that exactly what Mbeki is - ahead of his simple & stubborn minded ANC comrades (Zuma’s camp) who hold very superficial insights in matters of leadership.
Nkosinathi
I am affriad I don't agree at all.
You said:"Mbeki is basically viewed as uptight, strict and uncompromising with regards to financial corruption hence making a huge crowd (Zuma's camp) disgruntled, "underpaid" thus feeling as if the struggle is not paying off as anticipated "$$"."
I suggest you read After the Party by Andrew Feinstein. In it its clear that it was Mbeki that tried to block investigation into the arms deal, while it was Zuma who supported it.
Mbeki protected a number of corrupt ministers in both the arms deal and other cases (Selebi to name a few). And lets not forget that Mbeki chaired the cabinet sub-committee that over saw the deal.
Mbeki expects high levels of competency and discipline in his cabinet which most of Zuma's camp find repulsive thus opt for the laissez-faire Zuma's people-pleaser leadership style.
Oh yes? Is that why a substantial proportion of the countries municipalities are rioting over incompetent service delivery?
Why can't Eskom supply us with enough power? Why has the SANDF so little trained personnel, and why is their a dearth of good doctors in the public hospitals?
And the small matter of Aids is not such a small matter. Mbeki has the death of thousands on his hands.
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