Zuma’s 1st Year in Power!

May 10, 2010 by Brown Shuga

President Jacob Zuma has been in office for exactly a year now and I would like to find out what you guys thought of his first year in office? Mina I can’t believe he’s still gonna do this for another 4 years? He seems tired already.

A lot has happened (in and around government) since he strolled into the Union Buildings last year. A few days after he did, we heard Malema already talking about how Zuma should run for a second term but given what is happening in the ANC at the moment, I’m sure Malema is singing a different tune now.

I don’t really have an opinion about Zuma’s 1st year, I think it’s too early for me to notice any significant differences. I’m sure Big Nuz will disagree with me (given their hook up with the Prez after winning a SAMA) but mina I’ll reserve my comment till this time next year. There’s just been too much going on, I haven’t really had a chance to check what is what.

I must mention the Dept of Home Affairs though, I think there’s much improvement there and big props to Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The new passports are also very nice and will definitely make it difficult for the fraudsters to copy.

I gotta thank President JZ for the appointment of Jackie Selebi’s replacement, Bheki Cele, he is quite entertaining & I hope his vision and plans for Police Services will work out for us.

So, what have you observed in Zuma’s first year as President? Regret your vote? Happy?

Let us know!

Mina I’ve just realised that I don’t remember anything formidable, memorable, and profound that Zuma has said in the past as a leader.
Something he can be quoted on for generations to come like Mbeki (I am an African), Mandela, Obama, Karl Max, Shakespeare.
The most memorable quotes about Zuma are Umshini Wami and taking a shower after having sex with an HIV positive woman.

But over and above that, in any of his talks and engagements, he never leaves you wanting to go find a copy of his speech and learn something from it or quote a paragraph to make your point

He is a people’s president but lacks those key leadership characteristics to make things happen and operate at a very high level… for the president of the country you need someone extraordinary who’s words changes how people look at things and life for the better or even worse but you must stand for something, you either Hitler, Obama or Mbeki or fidel castro, currently I can’t define him as a leader and what he stands for

Mathaz on Mon, 10th May 2010 11:18 am

President Zuma has gained my trust and confidence in him…he is such a good leader, does not rush into things and is not emotional about issues. He looks like a person who has an open door policy. Besides the fact that he has not or cannot rein in on Malema, he has performed well, he is selling us to the world as a united front, both black and white.

The recent HIV/AIDS campaign shows that he is a person who is serious about real issus that affect ordinary South Africans, he listens empathetically to the Afrikaaner folk.

I am an official Bheki Cele groupie, whenever he utters something or his on TV, i listen attentively to what he is saying. Fikile Mbalula is so quite…is he campaigning for 2012 already??? Nkosazana is the best and Lindiwe Sisulu is too arrogant…Jeff Radebe should sort out Menzi Simelane and fast…Membathisi Mdladlana said he was to sort out Jimmy Manyi if he does not apologise, we are still waiting….was impressed by Edna Molewa for firing the CEO of SASSA for corruption, I am suprised that Makhensile Stofile is still the minister of Sports, have not heard from him in a while.

All in all, as much as i would hate to admit it, Zuma’s cabinet is trying and seems like they could be better than Mbeki’s one.

Sslave on Mon, 10th May 2010 11:28 am

So far so good. I cant really complain.

“Lindiwe Sisulu is too arrogant” hau really? I saw her in Menlyn on Saturday and she accidentally bumped into this other guy and she humbly apologized. Don’t they have bodyguards following them around kante these ministers? She was strolling with this other lady who I doubt was her bodyguard.

poshspice on Mon, 10th May 2010 11:45 am

@mathaz I like your positive outlook

mama ka Gundi on Mon, 10th May 2010 11:51 am

Mathaz *clapping my hands* Well said & i luv ur last statement yebo Zuma wil do better than Mbeki *in my own remix*

Kuhle on Mon, 10th May 2010 11:56 am

People we must always remember that what is Zuma(as the president) have and is to do is summed up by what his cabinet is doing … so if you are able to see changes here and there ie Home Affairs, then yes Pres has made changes kwangoku..so halala Msholozi…

nami like Mathaz i have so much confidence in him and i applaud him for doing HIV test publicy. And him visiting certain places to confirm what we are complaining about that is just great.

siyabee on Mon, 10th May 2010 11:57 am

….so disappointed with Sandile Ngcobo being appointed to the highest judicial position in the country, only coz he’s a Zuma loyalist.
….same goes for Menzi Simelane. it means no more spying on corrupt ANC officials.
….add to that the fact that in no time, Zuma will grant Shaik a peesidential pardon, and make him a minister of something. which reminds me, i hated the appointment of the other Shaik brother just as much.
….Lindiwe, arrogant, always defensive every time she has to account.
….am now motivated to go apply for my passport, thanks to you guys. been having nightmares about queuing for days at home affairs, and getting my passport when i’m 80 and my name misspelled.
….oooooooh, hated the appointment of the kwaito star as manager of the presidential hotline, just coz he composed some campaign songs for Zuma.
….ok, i’ll stop there, before i throw up!

Xolani on Mon, 10th May 2010 12:13 pm

Isnt it funny that when we comopliment a functioning Dept, we compliment the Minister in charge and when we complain – we blame it on the Presidency !!!

Lot of people are giving Nkosazana a pat on the back yet if it was failing her boss would have been given the thumbs down !

Its early days yet but we are definately on the right track. At least we are not denying the HIV Aids existence anymore or buying unnecessary weapons …

EricSayz on Mon, 10th May 2010 12:40 pm

Lets just say we will see the consequences at a later stage. i.e We saw the value of the Mbheki era with the water tight SA economy even during the recession,we could have been in a worse state but because of that administration,we were just fine compared to other countries. So,this means we will only see the after effects of the Zuma administration after his term. I am not too certain charisma will be enough to develop us further.

GA on Mon, 10th May 2010 12:43 pm

I am never quite objective when it comes to Zuma and his crew i am the oner to admit that, but ill try.

1. I think he is a decent manager, but i am yet to see him lead. The things he has doe so far, anyone can do, and they can do even better than him. If he were to disappera for several months, i would not miss him, and i think state issues will complete.

2. I agree with you Mathaz…he has been representing us to the worl as a united front and we need that. And he never denies that things are not all roses and daisies, he always presents the rainbow ideal and the fact tha we are on our way there. I think as a country we have come a long way with race relations and just like all countyries in the world, we are still at it. right ther Mr pres wa nkgahla..and i love the confidemnce with which he usually addresses this issue shem…nice one..

3. I still dont like watching or listening to head during addresses…i prefer to read.

4. Lately, the proposal by Lindiwe Sisulu to enroll yung people into the army pre varsity has impressed me to bits. If properly executed it could be a great investemnet into the future of SA and i think thats very very important. Was listening to Stevie B comment on the issue the other day and he mentioned he was in the army as well as John Perlman (is it)…many successfull people in the world…in law, business atc started out there. they gonna have to pull a very good campaign to convince the young ones that gping to tha army/navy whatever is not a low class thing because at the moment the institution is not respected in the country. Ill volunteer my services here because i have long envied the American anvy system (bootcamp etc) for young people and i think indeed for those volatile young ones in the streets, this can channel their eratic anergy into something positive.

4. Other staff…i really dont see how its any worse or better than in the last term. havent been to homeaffairs since last tow years back..ill take you guys’ word for it..

etc..and so on and staff like that…

TL on Mon, 10th May 2010 12:44 pm

Just wondering what Sbuda (Sbu Ndebele) did about this open letter to him http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71656?oid=138165&sn=Detail

poshspice on Mon, 10th May 2010 1:11 pm

Then he must appply his skills of uniting people in his own party first and provide leadership soon, look at ANC Gauteng provincial elections,it is war!

Lehakoe on Mon, 10th May 2010 1:19 pm

Very nice analysis Mathaz.
1. I’m also very very impressed with the recent HIV testing drive.
2. In general I am happy with the way the Reserve Bank and Finance Ministry are operated. The country has a viable monetary and fiscal policy it will go far in helping the economic growth in the country. Also one of the reasons SA was able to weather the recession better than most first world countries.

3. All though very good on the economic front much still has to be done for the development of the country. Job creation, health, education etc…The benefits of our fruitful economy are not trickling down to the man on the street.

4. I’m looking forward to seeing how the National Health System(NHS) will go down. It has not been very successful in some countries like England but hopefully the MoH and the rest of the dept will come up with effective and efficient way of implimenting it.Once again very beneficial to the people who cannot afford.

Lehakoe on Mon, 10th May 2010 1:34 pm

oooh oooh ooh. Nearly forgot to add these:
4. I am very very very happy that he did not succumb to the pressures by COSATU to nationalise the Reserve bank.

5. At first I was rather weary of Blade Nzimande’s appointment as Higher Education Minister but I am really warming up to him. He said sum’n about SA being the only country in the world to have a larger university system than a college system and that sum’n must be done to accomadate those who are not accademically inclined. So true…Not everyone is nqondo-nqondo and there is not a single country in the world that can achieve its infrastructural goals without basic manpower.

6. I am happy that there was a Ministry of Economic Development introduced in the cabinet. I haven’t seen anything from Ebrahim and his croonies so far but I hope they do what that Ministry is meant to do.

A big shout out to the followin people:
Nkosazane Zuma, Gill Marcus, Blade Nzimande, Pravin Gordhan

Mathaz on Mon, 10th May 2010 1:34 pm

I am so disappointed at the way the Gauteng’s elections went..shows that the Gauteng electorate are very corrupt. We all know what Mashatile has done and what he is capable of doing. His cronies have done him a favour by voting for him or else he was finished, he does not sit on the all powerful National Working Committee and is only a member of the NEC because of his chairpersonship. What is is that i hear that they are planning to put pressure on the government to reinstetate him as Premier??

Gauteng has never had a female premier and all the chairpersons of Provincial Committees are males, what does that say about women empowerment in the ANC??

Lindiwe Sisulu’s military service plan, is such a good idea…look at how patriotic the Americans….

poshspice on Mon, 10th May 2010 2:36 pm

@Mathaz I read that Nomvula is the fourth woman premier to loose the position of chairperson in the current administration…

what do you think it means? Are females not strong in hard core politics..which might involve campaigning, strategising, networking or deal making, whatever it is

Mathaz on Mon, 10th May 2010 3:04 pm

I do not think it’s lack of campaigning skills coz Nomvula rana a very successful campaign with Fikile Mbalula, in the times where COPE was thought to have a domineering effect in politics. ANC even won Eastern Cape, were we all thought that it was Mbeki’s stronghold by a large margin because of those two…

It could be that men still do not want be led by a female, birds of the feather flock together (read Paul and Gwen Ramokgopa) or that women do not support one another as i understand the Women’s League did not support Nomvula.

Nomvula’s beating is mostly of the way she had handled corruption and corruption officials. She removed almost all of Paul’s corrupt friends and that did not sit well with them but given Paul’s questionable lavish lifestyle, it remains to be seen if he will be reinstated, which i doubt coz Nomvula is Zuma’s favourite…

TL on Mon, 10th May 2010 3:12 pm

Thanx Mathaz for the 411 on GP politics, all I’ve been hearing is a friend singing Paul’s praises-I just wondered why not Nomvula.

Miss knw it all on Mon, 10th May 2010 4:49 pm

Only 1 year,it alrdy fills lyk 4,tjo.

poshspice on Mon, 10th May 2010 4:49 pm

Why would Gwen Ramakgopa be appointed deputy chair when Tshwane where she is the Mayor is in shambles under her leadership,

Paul with his alleged corruption activities..

This is no difference from how Zuma with all his shady past was elected president of the ANC and country

Now I won’t be suprised if Juju becomes the president of the country, it’s seems ANC supporters like them like that..

mbalir on Mon, 10th May 2010 5:54 pm

@Mathaz Well… The shower worked! The man is HIV negative, now whatchu wanna say? I have to say that things are shaping up in South Africa, makes me more and more anxious to come home. (‘ey, I didn leave by choice, just in-case ya’ll wanna hate on a sista)

Mntungwa on Mon, 10th May 2010 10:02 pm

i love him shame, i think has done well so far.

Eric Sayz on Tue, 11th May 2010 9:12 am

Good points all round.

Eric Sayz on Tue, 11th May 2010 9:16 am

Good points all round

Mshefane on Wed, 12th May 2010 8:50 am

hehehe, if it isnt cartmen?
JZ, sux.. my friend Ngungunyane would make a better pres!

Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!

Click here to register in order to prevent re-entering your details the next time you leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Zuma’s 1st Year in Power!

Related Stories:

Comments