Zuma Zuma - democracy's fast track to a certain death

THE election of ANC boss Jacob Zuma as South Africa's president will push the country further down the slippery slope towards the failed nation status of Zimbabwe.

Zuma, acquitted of corruption and rape charges over the past three years, enjoys widespread popularity among South Africa's growing poor and his own Zulu people but his ascension to supreme authority split long-term African National Congress supporters. Earlier this month, when 12 corruption, fraud, racketeering and money laundering charges were dropped, it was not difficult to discern a political force at work. One observer noted: "This means the end of democracy as we know it." Zuma, a former deputy president, has been propelled to power by ANC extremists. In almost all respects, the 67-year-old fits the stereotypical image of an African Big Man in the Mugabe mould. He is believed to have three or four wives, although one wife divorced him in 1998. Another killed herself in 2000, leaving a suicide note banning him from attending her funeral. It went on to describe her marriage to Zuma as "bitter and most painful". He is understood to have about 18 children. Two years ago he was acquitted of raping an HIV-positive family friend after a trial in which the alleged victim was subjected to prolonged and harsh cross-examination. Zuma outraged women's organisations with the claim that she had provoked the sexual encounter by wearing a "kanga", a wrap-around traditional garment. He proceeded to upset anti-AIDS organisations when he said he had subsequently taken a vigorous shower as a protection against infection. On a roll, he then proceeded to antagonise homosexual groups by declaring he would have knocked gay men down if they had appeared before him when he was younger. One of the reasons behind the anger was the fact that he chose to have unprotected sex with an HIV-positive individual, while having various wives at the same time. The anger and ridicule were compounded by the fact that, as vice-president, he was head of South Africa's National AIDS Council and the Moral Regeneration movement yet he had a shower after sex to prevent HIV transmission and believed it unlikely a healthy man would catch HIV from a woman. It emerged that there had been attempts to negotiate a settlement with the claimant, although Zuma said he had his "cows ready" if his accuser had agreed to marry him. With Prime Minister Kevin Rudd sending Governor-General Quentin Bryce to 10 African nations to curry favour for his expensive egotistical tilt at one of the floating seats on the UN Security Council (replacing that international powerhouse Burkina Faso), it probably won't be long before an Australian diplomat is sent to kowtow to Zuma. Bryce, an old Labor Party activist who has had her share of patronage jobs, including the post of Equal Opportunity Commissioner, should have a lot to talk to Zuma about and given her new-found knowledge of the Dark Continent should zip over herself. Will she be asked to sing along to Zuma's favourite election anthem Bring Me My Machinegun, or permitted to lip-synch? Or will she have to wait until Zuma's ever-ready cows come home?