EVEN IN CRISIS GOOD LEADERSHIP MUST BE APPLAUDED

Disclaimer: The contents of this piece are not journalistic but merely opinions and are not, and should not, in any way to be associated with any editorial journalistic material also produced by the author.

THE year is 2012, close to twenty years of democracy for a country that has become the epitome of the unity that a once segregated nation can achieve…and yet, it is hard to believe times could possibly be harder.

As of late media, economists, analysts and social commentators have gone to town with criticism of the current South African government, more specifically, President Jacob Zuma.

Most prominently, Zuma has gotten flack over the revelation of astronomical amounts of fund, allegedly public funds, claimed to have been used to renovate and upgrade his private house in Nkandla of KZN.

The aftermath of these events has been disastrous to say the least. Not only has the president’s reputation taken a knock, but critics of the media have claimed reporting on this matter is motivated by little more than a malicious witch hunt against Zuma.

One always hopes common sense prevails in these kinds of disputes. Since this matter was reported, the alleged costs of these renovations have changed more times than a runway model changes outfits. Needless to say this takes a serious bite out of the credibility of what is reported at the end of the day.

None of these numbers are official and none have been proven and yet so many have claimed this house has cost a fraction of the construction costs of a FIFA World Cup stadium to renovate.

On the same token, just looking at images of the property itself, it is clear that those renovations are by no means cheap. This bids ill for President Zuma as this can of worms spilled open all while he told CEO’s of SA corporate entities to tighten their belts and take salary freezes.

With illegal mining strikes hurting the economy, textbooks dumped for reasons no one can understand, young people struggling to complete their education or get a job and a litany of other time bombs in SA waiting to explode, it becomes difficult to see the accomplishments of the current administration, and yes, there are many.

On Friday Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi made an announcement that essentially reversed South Africa’s previously dismal track record in the fight against HIV and Aids.

As of April next year a triple drug ARV will be available in SA. This means those living with HIV will have access to a drug that combines three important drugs, cutting doses from 3 to just 1 pill a day. Not only that, the South African product will be the cheapest of its kind in the world.

I know what you’re thinking: How did such a wonderful thing happen right under our noses with no one noticing? Who is responsible for this wonderful intervention?

Will look to Luthuli House at the man who has been blamed for all that is wrong in the country. Yes, even though Zuma has been criticized from pillar to post, his administration achieved something that would have been impossible in Mbeki’s “a virus cannot cause a syndrome” era.

Am I saying Jacob Zuma is perfect? Far from it. Am I saying he should spend hundreds of millions of state funds on a private home? Not at all and, if that is indeed the case, then he should indeed answer for it.

But as things currently stand, the man who has been written off has not been proven guilty. All this is happening while his accomplishments are blatantly ignore. And yet no one can answer the question of what Zuma is actually DOING to ruin the economy, persecute the poor or scare investors away.

It all seems to get lost in the murk of blind hatred for a man whom, while lacking formal education, seems to be the hardest working president our democracy has had yet.

As Mangaung approaches in a couple of weeks and 2014 national elections loom in the very distant future, I know that things are not perfect but I am aware that if this man is not at the helm of the nation’s leadership, it should be because he doesn't deserve it and not because someone out there doesn't like him.

President Nzumbi