Zuma is a veritable survivor of politics

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma is a grand old man of politics. He has seen them all and survived each and every one of them. What could these upstarts in the national executive committee (NEC) do now to oust a man who has such an exemplary record in the hurlyburly world of politics?

His résumé speaks for itself. He has faced many challenges in his life and waged numerous political and legal battles, always emerging victorious. Former president Thabo Mbeki relieved him of his deputy president’s post but he stormed back as president of the country. He has survived rape accusations, fraud and corruption charges. Nkandla nearly buried him but he got out alive. Then there was the Gupta state capture scandal and many thought it was the final nail in his coffin, but yet again Zuma did the Houdini trick and got out.

Then the 783 charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and racketeering, which were dropped in 2009, came back to haunt him.

But he’s challenging the court ruling. Several attempts at a no confidence vote against him came to naught as the ANC majority out-muscled the opposition. When calls for his resignation came from within the NEC, it seemed that Zuma would not survive.

But the media briefing was an anticlimax. There was no dramatic announcement as ANC secretarygeneral Gwede Mantashe poured cold water on any hopes of Zuma’s dismissal. There was open, robust debate about Zuma, but the NEC had decided that the president would stay.

A man who has faced so many challenges in his life and survived so many attempts on his political career is a rare breed and needs to be protected.

Meanwhile Zuma, reassured of the NEC’s undying support, flew out to Cuba on Tuesday, perhaps, during the long flight, mulling over who should be purged from his cabinet.

Though voices calling for him to step down have been growing across the spectrum of society, Zuma, for now, is a relieved man and, like the gurgling brook, goes on forever. T MARKANDAN Silverglen