Many South Africans have become quite concerned that the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy in the United States are spreading to South Africa. But is that really the reason why South African president Jacob Zuma appears to be teetering on turning over a new leaf? Or is it that Helen Zille has been covertly sending Zuma subliminal messages through his breakfast cereal? Or… is it the impending doom that awaits the world in December this year? Or is it because of Julius Malema? Wonkie investigators explore the reasons in depth.
Firstly, after much analysis Wonkie has discounted the fact that Juju had anything to do with that entertaining hypnotist at the last ANC jol, beg pardon, conference. Further, there were no indications to suggest that the hypnotist, who was secured through a government tender process, was against corruption or media freedom.
Secondly, Helen Zille can be ruled out of the equation too. After many years of trying to train corn flakes to surreptitiously influence the ANC leadership, inside sources within the DA have informed Wonkie that Mrs Zille has finally caved in to the demands of Plant Rights activists and stopped her evil practices.
Since Hurricane Sandy and the impending end of the world are rather negative in nature, Wonkie excluded both these potential reasons too. There was some heated debate about this though – especially following suggestions that Zuma would only turn over a new leaf if the whole planet was imploding (the natural state of the world certainly seems to be heading in this direction).
With the usual suspects excluded and not much else to go on, Wonkie decided to consult The Guru for some spiritual guidance. After much meditation and navel-gazing, the answer arrived – much like how rain mystically arrives after you wash your car. It was all very Zen.
The answer quite simply lay in what would happen if the good President Zuma did NOT do these things: viz. drop the cartoon damages claim against Zapiro; and freeze cabinet salaries. The answer on both these counts are quite revealing.
Suppose Zuma pursued the claim against Zapiro and lost. His credibility within the ANC and the South African public is already on shaky ground at a politically sensitive time. A court loss which would likely be construed as validation that he is a philandering, loose-moralled, corrupt politician could well wipe him off the political scene. A victory on the other hand would not really add much except for a few bob toward his next wedding. It was thus the smart play by Zuma to drop the claim.
The freezing of cabinet salaries and the suggestion that big business executives freeze theirs too is a great symbolic gesture. In South Africa, such symbolic gestures are roughly equivalent to effecting actual change as far as the voting public are concerned (although this is slowly changing, finally). Take for example the great symbolic gesture of changing street and city names – simply doing that bought the government a couple of decades to laze around and eat grapes whilst basic service delivery stalled.
In this context, what’s the big deal about freezing salaries that are already running well into the millions apiece? The answer is that it is no big deal – it certainly does not help bridge the gap between rich and poor. The public brownie points the decision scores however is as described above – huge. After all, such a noble move can only be taken by someone that has a deep concern for the issues facing the plebs of society, right? Right.
Members of the South African public who are quick to label Zuma a stupid, immoral goat-herder would do well to gain an alternative perspective from Wonkie’s Jacob Zuma background article. They may not like him or agree with what he is doing, but to deny that he is a politically shrewd strategist would be a serious mistake.
Should you feel like you are as sharp as Zuma already, maybe a higher risk – higher reward alternative might suit you better. If so, why not try out some of the best online casinos for South African players here or get the latest bonus offers from Wonkie’s famous Silversands Online Casino review page. Again, international readers can click here instead for a global range of choices. Should none of these resonate with you please check out Wonkie’s top 10 pages for completely different suggestions.
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- More articles and the latest Jacob Zuma news
- South African mine workers revolt
- Marikana unrest
- Zapiro cartoons, news and views
- Freedom of Speech in South Africa
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Nothing that would really make a difference…puhleeeze…
@Ant Duke … as the article suggests – just a token gesture that will buy the government a few more years to not address the core underlying issues. Got to admit that I didn’t think about Zuma’s recent ‘positive’ actions from this perspective… makes sense!
Wonkie, would you be able to share with us the research you discovered about Helen Zille’s corn flakes induction programme? LOL… classic!
Turning over a new leaf ?
The number of new leaves he needs to turn over, he may as well turn over a whole tree!!! Or should that be “forest”?
But maybe he should leave the “fig-leaf” in place – we wouldn’t want to offend Zapiro’s fans by exposing the real ‘thing’ – for however brief a time !!!
Craig, I don’t for an instance believe that there have been any ‘positive’ actions from this low-life not intended for his self-benefit.
His attack on Zapiro was probably at the insistence of Mac Maharaj, but his lawyers probably advised him that there was a great possibility that he would lose the case on the grounds of freedom of speech as well as the fact that a huge number of South African’s (both black and white) as well as a vast number of foreigners thought the cartoon especially befitting our esteemed leader. As Wonkie points out, there was not going to be a positive outcome if he did win the case since even his fans would think his intention was through greed.
The possibility of the ANC cabinet accepting a pay freeze would equal the outcry from the imbecilic MPs representing the ANC and that would be Zuma’s death knell.
CORNY; Hilarious comment! I will leave the commenting to you. As with the American election campaigning, I am getting tired of reading about the endless political crap in ZA – I am off to Hawaii!
@ Out of Africa
I have been trying to think of a way to get to Hawaii and avoiding political crap on the way.
Number 1 – take a week to get there, then the American election is over and done with (unless there is another “Florida glitch” like we had with GW and Al Gore).
Avoid going via China as they have their once in a decade “Leadership” change next Thursday.
Avoid going via Japan – too much money gets diverted to other “projects”.
Avoid Europe – the money problems many European countries are experiencing is a Greecey, slippery slope to bankruptcy.
Avoid the UK – the weather is almost as bad as the East Coast of America has just suffered – perhaps I’m just prejudiced, having lived through more English winters than I care to think about – and the “summers” are not THAT much better.
Avoid Brazil – there are too many gang/police wars going on in Rio.
Perhaps you should swim to Hawaii – the surf will carry you that last few metres into the shore – that should keep you away from all the ‘political crap’ – unless, of course, you run into a rugby match between ‘Whales’ and ‘Sharks’.
However you get there, enjoy the winter sunshine and keep checking for stupid messages like this one on Wonkie!
Oops!!!
Having started with “Number 1”, I should have carried on with numbering – feel free to add numbers as you think necessary.
Hey! Isn’t that what politicians do when they sue cartoonists? – add numbers as they think necessary?
Most likely reason for dropping the case (first dropped damages claim to R100K as a deal) was to avoid having to take the stand as the defense would most likely have called him and they would have roasted him in the box. In that way you are correct – he was saving his political bacon. No problem, shrewd as he is, the pig will carve his own bacon in the not too distant future…. Pity though; Zapiro would have had a field day depicting him as a piggy on a platter in the witness box (apple in the mouth and all..) with his legal team “roasting” him…
there is no way the cabinet salaries will be freezed,, unless if malema is reinstated as president of youth league
as long as the frozen money will be unfrozen at some stage & it must be explained how this is going to help de poor or close the gap or address inequality…
“I want my day in court” ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha habha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !
Sung to the tune of “The Laughing Clown”
Even if Zuma wins in Mangaung,the only way to stop him from being president of the country is to stop voting the ANC.Even JUJU we don’t want him,how can we ruled by fools whereas there are great minds out there,what is it do we see in them really people can you start thinking with your heads.
Who is willing to turn over a new leaf? ……..I doubt
the time has come stop this daylight robbery, apartheid govt fail to stop the will of the people. Now is the time for South Africans to stand up for their taxes being with this nkandla development which is not budgeted for or no policy. We need to answer the question who must be treated as the first lady, no one must abuse ladies using his position
Call for all South African to start debates in all gatherings,in churches and everything as to what need to be done, our country is in the criminals lets rescue it. Speak up don’t be afraid
Somebody posted on a site earlier today that in one hundred, possibly one hundred and fifty years the ANC might finally lose power. They obviously have not taken into account that the majority of ANC supporters who voted them into power in 1994 would be dead within the next twenty years from old age or AIDS.
Many of the ANCYL members must be capable of seeing that the ANC has become a party of infighting and corruption and it will not take them forever to realise that they, in good conscience, can no longer support the party that their parents love.
Even a rebellion by ANC supporters will then fail to see this party survive, let alone return to power. (The 20 years before their demise is actually conservative).