Africa
Key facts on Jacob Zuma
Posted Thursday, February 4 2010 at 23:30
A former member of the ANC’s military wing, Mr Zuma rose to become head of intelligence in the party, a post that gave him leverage over allies and opponents alike.
Like Nelson Mandela, he was imprisoned on Robben Island for conspiring to overthrow white rule, spending 10 years in jail before going into exile.
Zuma was South Africa’s deputy president for six years before he was sacked in 2005 by Thabo Mbeki after being implicated in a graft trial that saw his former financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, convicted on fraud and corruption charges.
Zuma - the man: The ethnic Zulu from KwaZulu-Natal province earned respect as a peacemaker at home, mediating between the ANC and the Zulu-dominated Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) at the height of violence in the early 1990s to head off a possible civil war.
President Zuma has received no formal schooling.
South African law and Zulu culture allow a man to take more than one wife, but critics says Mr Zuma is setting a bad example in a country with high Aids infection rates. Zuma has 20 children, some with women other than his wives.
Below are short profiles of Mr Zuma’s wives, past and present:
Sizakele Zuma: Fondly called MaKhumalo, Sizakele, 67, is Zuma’s first wife. She lives in his Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu Natal province. They have no children.
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma: Ms Dlamini-Zuma, 60, is South Africa’s home affairs minister and has also been health minister and foreign affairs minister. The two met in exile and have four children together. They were divorced in 1998.
Kate Mantsho-Zuma: Mantsho-Zuma committed suicide in 2000. She and Zuma had five children.
Nompumelelo Ntuli: Ms Ntuli, 34, married Zuma in a traditional ceremony in his homestead in 2008. They have three children.
Tobeka Madiba: Ms Madiba, 37, and President Zuma were married on January 4. They already have three children together.
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Submitted by cappuchinochkPosted February 05, 2010 01:14 PM
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Submitted by kongongo
No human being is perfect. I have known people with moral frailities, but as individuals they are very kind at heart and competent leaders. I will start getting worried only when Zuma begins to mismanage South African economy and tamper with the contries democratic processes, otherwise his private life should be a matter between his God and family.
Posted February 05, 2010 12:07 PM -
Submitted by Nayarobi
Zuma is a disgrace to Africans. Any man not disciplined enough to stick to one wife is always a dishonest person in many areas of life. By the time 'he is done' with his presidency he shall have created a lot political and of socio- economic chaos in South Africa. Infact 'No or little formal education' in a leader is a recipe for chaos and South Africans had better known this. Poligamy is not anybody's culture. Something wrong is never a culture, it is a mistake. South Africa as a country deserves a person worthy being referred to as president.
Posted February 05, 2010 01:40 AM -
Submitted by bananahill
Has anybody looked at Jacob Zuma as a victim,especially in the latest scandal of having a child with a friends daughter.The said lady is a 39 year old banker,who DECIDED to have the presidents child.Am sure,she cared less about him being her fathers friend.Women usually take advantage of womanisers,and Zuma has a weekness for women.
Posted February 05, 2010 12:49 AM -
Submitted by J_Kiamba
Formal education is good it has made us stay away from those extreme traditional practices. Zuma thinks as a hero, I think he needs some education, it is not too late.
Posted February 05, 2010 12:34 AM
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As long as Zuma does not mismanage south africas economy, his affairs are between himself, his wives and girlfriends. AS for the statment about Zuma having little to no formal education, well kenyas PM and President have formal education and look where that has taken this country- nowhere.