The stories which the world outside South Africa has heard about president Jacob Zuma have not been confidence-inspiring. He has been prosecuted for corruption and rape, he is said to hold idiosyncratic social values, and his marital indiscretions are frequently in the headlines. So who is he, and how did he get to be president of the country? Jeremy Gordin, a journalist who has reported on Zuma’s activities for many years, fills in the picture in his book Zuma: A Biography.
Jacob Zuma was born into an impoverished Zulu family in 1942. As a child he was assigned to look after cattle, so he missed out on a formal education. He joined the African National Congress in 1959 and was arrested in 1963, spending 10 years on Robben Island and then 15 years working for the ANC from outside South Africa, becoming a leading figure in the ANC and a close friend of Thabo Mbeki. When Nelson Mandela retired from the presidency in 1999, Mbeki became president and Zuma became deputy president.
The story so far accounts for the first fifth of the book; the rest relates largely to the scandals, court cases and political struggles that have filled the past decade of Zuma’s life. He failed to live within his means, leaving his expenses to be paid by friends and leading to allegations of corruption. His polygamy and extra-marital dalliances led to public ridicule. However, through all of the personal difficulties Zuma maintained a remarkable resilience and equanimity.
The book is interesting to read, and well-researched. The author clearly likes Jacob Zuma, and makes a strong case that much of the prosecution of him was politically motivated. Zuma is also shown to be a skilful and courageous negotiator and diplomat, and to have a very charming persona. Nonetheless it is difficult to escape the impression that South African politics has been on a downward incline since the retirement of Mandela, and that South Africans would be better served by a more forward-looking leader.