Clanger
via SMS
The charismatic Jacob Zuma is 100% Zulu and, as such, has enormous support from his nation, which, by the way, represents approximately 25% of South Africa’s population. His supporters are convinced that all the corruption he is accused of is purely political propaganda, and there is none so blind as those who will not see.
Beware the cunning and ruthlessness of this man. His comment for God to soften people’s hearts (towards him) before “things go badly” is a thinly veiled threat that his cronies will rise to create mayhem if he doesn’t get his way.
Steve
Gauteng
Zuma is playing the public and abusing religion to hide his consistent criminality. Let the courts decide.
Ace Ngobeni
Limpopo
Leave Zuma alone and continue to do what is expected. Zuma is gone, let him rest in Nkandla. He cannot be an obstacle to the organisation. Let’s implement the resolutions of the conference.
Bhekani
KwaZulu-Natal
Zuma and all the former ANC members will remain influential. He has substantial support in the country and it will be suicidal to undermine that.
D Ndzekeni
Western Cape
Zuma is misleading people by saying that he is being persecuted. The truth is, he is being prosecuted for his crime of stealing from the state.
Maxwell
KwaZulu-Natal
Several factors are at play here. This former president is a shrewd politician who knows how to whip up public emotions in his favour while forever playing the victim.
The ANC has dirty laundry that his trial will air in public, which is another card he’ll use. Not all regional and provincial structures are solidly backing President Cyril Ramaphosa yet.
The world’s greatest physicist, Albert Einstein, once said: “An empty stomach is not a good political adviser.”
Because of rampant corruption, especially during the second term of Zuma’s presidency, many government officials will lose their jobs and Zuma loyalists face a grim future.
With all these factors at play, Zuma hopes to squeeze some concessions from Cyril concerning his tribulations or face rolling mass action of the type he visited upon Thabo Mbeki. Zuma has nothing to lose now and is very vindictive.
GK Gqamane
Eastern Cape
I do not believe that Mr Zuma still has much influence in the operations of the ANC. However, I think he is still in contact with and in control of the corrupt barbarians who are still in the upper echelons of the ANC leadership structures.
I honestly do not think that the ANC will have anything to benefit from holding national elections early. Instead, the ANC will lose credibility because the electorate may perceive that to be a sign of panic and desperation.
I also think people who have been disappointed by the ANC have not made up their minds; they are still watching the political developments with interest. The ANC should give us a bit of time to watch this political match before we can make sober decisions. I therefore do not support the view that general elections should be held earlier.
The overwhelming victory of the ANC in these elections will be determined by its performance in the ongoing political match. We are the spectators.
BB Klaas
Eastern Cape
With all that is happening, I’m just wondering how it is possible for a governing party to give its full support to an accused person being charged for corruption. What image are we giving to other countries about our government? Are we now in support of corruption?
Senzo Zungu
Gauteng
The ANC will kill itself if it continues to run after Zuma because this current leadership is using state institutions (the Hawks and the judiciary) to persecute their own cadre.
This can result in the call for another national elective conference, where Ramaphosa and his allies can be removed. My suggestion is that, for the sake of the health of this 106-year-old movement, they must leave Zuma alone and not prosecute him. He has done the honourable thing by resigning.