South African President Zuma has work cut out
South Africa recently got a new president named Jacob Zuma. If you know anything about President Zuma, then you know he’s had his fair share of legal issues and just plain issues.
Zuma was part of the South African Communist Party in the early 1960s and was convicted of conspiring to overthrow the government. (Ironic. Now he actually controls the government.) In 1990, he was elected Chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) for the Southern Natal region and worked hard to end political violence between the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party. Nine years later, he was appointed executive Deputy President of South Africa. In 2007, he was elected as President of the ANC, and on May 9 he became the president of South Africa. He has no problem referring to himself as a “socialist” and thinks the concept of wealth distribution is a great idea.
Over the past five years, Zuma has been questioned about bribery and rape. He has 18 children, a few wives and a few more fiancées.
One sliver of hope that we can have about Zuma is his expectation to help the unemployed of South Africa, which was the main facet of his campaign.
According to the New York Times, South Africa’s factory output plunged to a record low of 21.6 percent in the past year.
The main issue for Zuma will be to find a balance to please the two groups that brought him to power: the thousands of unemployed and the trade unions.
andrea @ June 15, 2009