The nine Jacob Zuma quotes that actually make complete sense
Much like a broken watch is right twice a day, Jacob Zuma has occasionally shared a few pearls of wisdom
Image Credits: Gallo Images / The Times / Thuli Dlamini
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We appreciate that anyone reading this title whilst drinking something has probably spat it all over their keyboard by now. However, these Jacob Zuma quotes prove that he is (very infrequently) capable of talking sense.
No-one is declaring him an oracle here, and you’ll notice we couldn’t even make it a ‘top ten’. Yet JZ does occasionally say some pretty salient things. Moments of clarity when the hamster inside his head gets back on the wheel.
There is a reason Jacob Zuma rose to power. For many he was charismatic, engaging and politically savvy. He’s lost a lot of support these days, but perhaps these nine Zuma quotes shed a bit of light on what people saw in him…
Jacob Zuma and his views on Democracy
- Before he came to power, he was a keen advocate of transparency.
“The country needs a private sector that acts in the national interest and which contributes to the attainment of the national goals of eradicating poverty, unemployment and inequality.”
2. Nowadays, Jacob Zuma has to rely on his core group of die-hard loyalists to cling to power. There was a time when he was spot on about getting everyone to vote, though.
We urge all those who are eligible to vote to register to vote … so that together we continue to re-affirm and deepen our democracy.
Zuma’s opinions on crime
3. A man with 784 criminal charges above his head should know a thing or two about crime. He’s more about keeping a low profile these days, but JZ hit the nail on the head when talking about fundamental causes of criminal activity.
“Criminality is always the result of poverty. Countries that experience such a fundamental change as we have – we had the apartheid regime and must now develop a multicultural democracy – must necessarily pass through a phase of high crime rates.”
4. As migrants in South Africa came under the spotlight for a rise in crime committed by foreigners, the President was cool, calm and collected in reminding South Africa that no minority ever represents a majority
“While some foreign nationals have been arrested for various crimes, it is misleading and wrong to label or regard all foreign nationals as being involved in crime in the country.”
Zuma quotes on political accountability
5. He, he, he, he. We can hear you all, doing your best Zuma-chuckle at the very notion of Jacob Zuma accepting responsibility for anything. He did, however. You could write it down on the back of a pack of cigs, but Mr Zuma has championed accountability:
“No one person can be above the ANC. He can’t be.”
6. Follow…
“I think it is important to say that public servants, in particular, more than anybody else, ought to be aware that they should be more upright and transparent in so far as the use of public funds is concerned.”
7. Your…
“As a citizen of this country, I’ve got to be honest to the people of South Africa.”
Own advice.
Jacob Zuma talks about Nelson Mandela
8. Jacob Zuma was a huge part of black and coloured liberation. Despite his soured political legacy, he was on the frontlines when South Africa had to fight for its democracy. It’s a real shame he’s forgot these principles, but he never forgot what we all loved about Madiba:
“What made Nelson Mandela great, was precisely what made him human. We saw in him, what we seek in ourselves.”
Zuma gives a lecture on Foreign Policy
9. When Jacob Zuma is schooling you in a political debate, you know you’ve got something wrong. He had America’s number on this one, questioning the job they’d done in Iraq before withdrawing their troops.
“Washington wants the whole world to admire the country for its democracy. Then the government sends out its army, in the name of this democracy, and leaves behind the kind of chaos we see in Iraq.”
That felt strange. If you want to reacquaint yourself with the Zuma we are way more familiar with, we’ve got 18 ridiculous quotes of his that need to be seen to be believed.
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