Notables give Zuma’s parties a miss
● The saying “When days are dark friends are few” must have come to President Jacob Zuma’s mind when he checked the guest register at his Christmas party in Nkandla this week.
Most cabinet ministers gave the event a miss, as did prominent business personalities. Only two ministers made it to Nkandla: State Security Minister Bongani Bongo and Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini. Also present was Dlamini’s deputy, Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu.
The dwindling high-profile personalities at the Jacob G Zuma RDP Education Trust senior citizens’ Christmas party was noted amid growing calls in the ANC’s national executive committee to recall him. His backers are said to be negotiating with those of new ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa for Zuma to be allowed a dignified early exit.
Unlike previous years, when ministers, their deputies, directors-general and business people would flock to Nkandla or wherever Zuma was in December, this time the president cut a forlorn figure at his table while elderly people were given food parcels and walking sticks.
Dlamini said Zuma was a generous man, even to his enemies. She launched a scathing attack on churches and the judiciary for criticising Zuma. “[It’s] time. Let’s stop being cowards. We have been fed Nkandla saga since time immemorial.”
Dlamini urged the elderly guests to “please President Zuma” by voting the right way. “Let’s please fight for the truth . . . stop allowing enemies to come here and deceive you. Please vote right in the coming elections. What you are consuming now are the hard efforts of MamZobe’s child,” she said in Zulu. Dlamini’s was a lone voice as the normally teeming VIP tent adjacent to the main tent at Mnyakanya High School was virtually empty.
The Sunday Times understands that Zuma has had to cancel some activities such as the annual Youth and Culture Celebration in Impendle last weekend.
KwaZulu-Natal premier Willies Mchunu has been represented by two different MECs at events that Zuma has hosted.
On Christmas Eve, during the annual senior citizens’ Christmas party held at Savannah Park, south Durban, Mchunu sent health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo to represent him, while in Nkandla on Wednesday he was represented by arts, culture, sports and recreation MEC Bongi Sithole-Moloi.
Last Friday at the Jacob Zuma Foundation Annual Chess Open Tournament in Mandeni, on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, neither local councillors nor mayors made an appearance. One cabinet minister, who spoke on condition of anonymity when asked about her absence and that of her colleagues, said: “This is my non-negotiable time with my family.”
A minister from KwaZulu-Natal who has been a prominent figure at Zuma events said on Thursday that the programme was not a government one and thus he was not compelled to attend. “So, are you insinuating that I’m not there because JZ is no longer president? That’s low,” he said. “I have only gone to these activities to support the president. He does not invite us, but we are informed as a courtesy . . . I have not attended because I have other commitments. I have missed some before and it was never an issue.”
Yesterday, more ministers joined the festivities when Zuma hosted another Christmas for orphans at Mnyakanya High School in Nkandla. Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane, Higher Education Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize and ANC chairman Sihle Zikalala were seen at the event.