ECONOMIC DISPARITY
KARYN MAUGHAN: Zuma was disastrous, but denial of poverty will negate any recovery
While the former president worsened inequality, the problem began before his reign and must be tackled
Former president Jacob Zuma can and should be held accountable for in effect treating SA like a second-hand car lot, where key institutions and state-owned entities were sold off at questionable prices — often to people who didn’t know how to drive. By the time Zuma finally relinquished power on Valentine’s Day in 2018, SA was too numbed by multiple political and legal scandals to fully react. There were no Zimbabwe-style scenes of jubilation. The now infamous footage of eNCA reporter Nickolaus Bauer asking clearly inebriated young South Africans for their opinion on Zuma’s resignation perfectly captured the heart of a country numbed, tired and angry. They swore at the man who had led SA for eight years. They didn’t even grant him the dignity of summarising his period in office with a sentence — they resorted only to obscenities. It was a telling moment. Zuma had been cast as the country’s own giggling Lord Voldemort. He was the evil villain who was at the heart of all our problems,...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.