SA President Jacob Zuma for Dummies

Getting a bit sidetracked from my usual IT and New Media Post and sometimes off-topic Halloween Costume or Trick Photography posts I bring you:

Jacob Zuma : a.k.a Gedleyehlekisa

Quoting Jacob Zuma: “In one sense it means one who laughs with you, whilst endangering you. Literally” Then after licking his dry lips, “but I’m not Dangerous at all”

With shock, many South African’s watched BBC news tonight to see President Thabo Mbeki resign , just one day after receiving a threatening call to step down from the ANC Party , allegedly for “interfering” with Jacob Zuma’s corruption case.

For the rest of the world though, many people we’re wondering, well, who is this Jacob Zuma guy?

Quick answer: The president of the ANC, with a bad reputation, and a dirty record as any one can get… What did Obama say, you can put lipstick on a …

Last week I blogged about how there was chaos in the ANC government when a political Cartoonist Zapiro, depicted Jacob Zuma getting Ready to Rape the justice system:

Well, This Blog is about New Media and IT, so to explain what or who Jacob Zuma is, it might make more sence referring to some New Media Video’s about him:

A compilation of the Zapiro cartoons about Jacob Zuma:

Bring me my machine gun song:

“Umshini wami, also known as Awuleth’ Umshini Wami (English, Bring me my machine gun), was a popular Zulu language “struggle song” used formerly by members of the Umkhonto we Sizwe militant branch of the African National Congress during the apartheid era in South Africa’s history. Most recently, the song is identified with the persona of Jacob Zuma, a former MK member and Deputy President of the ANC who later became the President of the party, and is often sung at rallies which involve him and his supporters, including the current composition of the Youth League.”

Criminal charges? What Criminal Charges?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Zuma
Criminal Charges:

Corruption:
In 2004, Zuma became a key figure mentioned in the Schabir Shaik trial. Schabir Shaik, a Durban businessman and his financial advisor, was questioned over bribery in the course of the purchase of Valour class frigates for the South African Navy, a proposed waterfront development in Durban, and lavish spending on Zuma’s residence in Nkandla. On 2 June 2005, Shaik was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison, with Judge Hilary Squires describing the relationship between Zuma and Shaik as “mutually beneficial symbiosis”. The media mis-reported this as “A generally corrupt relationship”, although this description does not appear in the court transcripts.

Rape:
In November 2005, an investigation began into charges that he had raped the 31 year old daughter of a deceased struggle comrade at his home in Forest Town, Johannesburg

“Quoting Jacob Zuma: If you walk away from an arounsed Woman, it is akin to Rape”

He was acquitted of rape but ridiculed for testifying in court that after having consensual sex with his HIV-positive accuser, he believed taking a shower after sex was sufficient protection against infection. He was head of the National AIDS Council at the time.

Money Laundering:
On 28 December 2007, the Scorpions served Zuma an indictment to stand trial in the High Court on various counts of racketeering, money laundering, corruption and fraud. Zuma appeared in court on 4 August 2008. The charges were believed to be linked to the $5bn arms procurement deal by the South African government in 1999.

What do educated people think of Jacob Zuma?

Even Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu concedes Zuma is a “likeable” person, but adds that he has a track record that would “shame” the country were he to become president.

Interview with some news personalities and Zuma’s Radio 702 press release, showing the massive difference in oppinnion about Zuma between those with access to information, and those with only access to Propaganda.

South Africa’s most known YouTube poster : VJ Khayav (http://www.youtube.com/user/khayav)

“perhaps if there were more white people in the ANC, Jacob Zuma would not have been elected”

“White People are TERRIFIED of Jacob Zuma, to be fair Large sections of the Black middle class [ Pause], I might get into trouble for saying that…but it is the right thing”

3 Part BBC Panorama video “NO more Mandela’s”

What the multitude of illiterate population of South Africa thinks of JZ

“Jacob Zuma’s supporters are singing to loudly to hear his critics”

Is it “Jacob Zuma for Dummies” or “Dummies for Jacobb Zuma”?

And Lastly for those who do not know about Affirmative action in South Africa:

Racist anti-White policies of the South African ANC govt:

Sources:

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Zuma

Australia Foreign correspondent: http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2006/s1755381.htm

http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa&item=080920162402.e0dv2evj.php

Youtube (you’re friend)

Why Cartoons Scare Politicians

It is amazing the immense impact something as simple as a Cartoon can have in mostly non-literate countries, and the lengths that the governments of such countries will go to to try to suppress the cartoons.

The whole world remembers the uproar that was caused by the Danish Cartoons showing the Muslim Profit Mohammed in 2005. In case you missed it, read this Wikipedia story explaining the case

Yesterday in another part of the world (South Africa), a similar uproar started to brew.

ANC party spokesman Doughnut Phiri said that Jonathan Shapiro aka Zapiro, a Cartoonist that is known for his Struggles against apartheid and his Satirical cartoons “needed to be eliminated, destroyed or killed, both literally and/or metaphorically and/or metaphysically, or whichever one we are allowed to do by the Human Rights Commission”. – from Nothing to do in Joburg Besides...

I believe the reason that the politicians or rulers of religion (similar creatures) in these Third World countries are so scared of the Cartoons is due to the following reasons:

• No literacy is required to understand what is being depicted
• The cartoon section of a News-papers is probably the most “read” *from my experience of shoulder surfing on the London tube system
• It will cause the populous to start asking Questions, and that is their main fear
  

One of the most interesting aspects about Shapiro’s predicament is that the ANC have now tried to brand him as a Racist which is regarded as a cheap blow.

For those familiar with Visual Communication techniques, it doesn’t get any better than this.

Whether you agree with the cartoon or not, it is definitely a brilliant piece of communication

Interesting News for the Mobile phone industry in SA

I found interesting news:

Consumers will no longer be locked into long-term contracts with mobile operators, should the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) have its regulations approved.

http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/telecoms/2008/0806231100.asp?A=CEL&S=Cellular&O=FPLEAD

This will be of great benefits to south African Mobile phone users, so if you’re like me and like to be able to move around you can do so.

Is MTN evil? Charges more for VOIP traffic than normal Data traffic

Excerp: from MyDigitalLife – Written by Kimberly Guest
Monday, 30 July 2007

A local provider slams the cellular giant for VOIP billing. A local voice over IP (VOIP) company is slamming the Independent Communications Authority of SA`s (ICASA`s) decision to allow MTN to apply differential tariffs.

http://www.mydigitallife.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3783&Itemid=84

Typical with the FAT CATS in South Africa. In the USA and in the UK the tactics used by MTN, Vodacom and Telkom are considered illegal, but in SA someone is getting some backpay probably.

Avoid MTN like the plague. VirginMobile seems to be the cheapest with Data rates… Prepay or Contract.