President Zuma of South Africa: Hero or Villain?

President Zuma – A surprise to many

When Jacob Zuma took over the leadership of South Africa many people, myself included, believed that South Africa was on a downward spiral and destined to end up in a similar mess to Zimbabwe. Even though his presidency is still in its early days the indications so far are positive.

Many people were expecting an increase in state control over industries and a strong leaning towards trade unionism. Even though there have been noises in those directions, it appears that common sense has prevailed. President Zuma or his advisors have clearly realized that the politicians in a country are only as good as the economy allows them to be. The people that are in the best position to pull our country out of this recession are your business leaders. They are the people with the knowledge and experience. The role of government should be to provide financial assistance in addition to creating an environment in which businesses can operate most effectively.

Government is still pressing ahead with its transformation policies and this policy is, in my opinion, often serving as a hindrance to economic progress rather than promoting the fortunes of the very people it has been designed to help. I understand that the economic upliftment of African people is essential after the legacy of apartheid, but it should not be done to the detriment of the economy of our country. How to juggle the needs of previously disadvantaged communities and the economic development of our country is one of the key challenges that President Zuma faces over the next 5 years.

The advantages and additional jobs that will be created around the 2010 Soccer World Cup will undoubtedly serve as a major boost to our economy, but it must be remembered that much of this economic wealth is only temporary. One of the keys to the success or failure of President Zuma’s administration is going to be how he handles the economy after the soccer world cup. Plans need to be put in place now in order to identify the potential problems post 2010 and how they are going to be dealt with. The government needs to be proactive and not reactive.

One of the good things that President Zuma is doing is that he advocates a hands on approach to many social problems. He takes the time to listen to people and personally visit problem areas. This may just be window dressing, but either way it creates a good impression. It would appear that he actually cares about the people who were largely responsible for putting him where he is today. President Zuma has now spent much time having discussions with all role players with regard to many of the problems being faced by the current administration. He now has his information. The test will be what he decides to do and how long he takes to do it.

President Zuma has made a positive start by making the right noises and not making major policy changes. He will now be judged by his actions. He has a tough job as he has to keep all the elements of the ANC alliance happy while at the same time promoting the economy of the country and keeping the international community satisfied.

It is impossible to please everyone all of the time, but the key is to please most of the people most of the time. President Zuma has made a positive start, but now that the honeymoon is over, it is time for action. He has identified many of the problems facing the country and his own political party in particular. The world is watching and waiting to see what is getting done. I have been pleasantly surprised so far, with a few reservations, but we will be watching what happens next.