Zooming the Zoomable – President Zuma of South Africa, His Choice of Spouse and the Visit to Britain

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, who started his first official visit to Britain this week, may be the envy of every politician in the civilized world in particular and of ‘menkind’ in general across the globe, for a very simple reason. He is a practising polygamist – something perfectly legal in South African society, at least among traditional Zulus. Zulus are proud of it and so is President Zuma.

It is not the usual practice of a leader of an important nation to launch a scathing attack on the host nation, days before he embarks on it. This is exactly what Pesident Zuma did, a day before his British visit, in spite of receiving a warm welcome given by the Queen and the British Government.

President Zuma just did a ‘Mugabe’. He not only attacked the imperial past of Britain but also vituperatively criticized Britain for imposing what he called ‘its culture’ upon that of Africans.

This is a bit unfair and sad. President Zuma mischievously ignored the millions of Britons who actively campaigned against the notoriously-racist apartheid rule in South Africa: there are serving ministers in the British cabinet who fought against the menace; there are lots of MP’s who launched fierce campaigned against it; there are layers of the civilian society which highlighted the plight and various facets of the apartheid struggle to a wider world. President Zuma, in a fit of rage, swept all of them under the carpet of emotionalism as if they were not part of his selected history. Besides, in President Zuma’s country, the Blacks still turn on fellow Blacks, especially if they are from poor neighbouring nations – something the British has nothing to do with.

What clearly irked President Zuma is the way the British media – especially the printed ones - talked about his family life. There is no question about the fact that President Zuma is a family man – a big family man, indeed; he is a man with three wives and 20 children. So, the press is fascinated with a man of his competence, and energy for that matter, especially when he happens to be the head of a democracy in the 21st century.

In fairness to the press, I must say, that the journalists were never critical of him for what he is indulging in on marital front. The press simply was reporting what were already known in the public domain; they didn’t demonize him. On the contrary, they made him more lovable and as some British women found him, ‘cute’.

It all started a week ago before his official visit. The media were speculating about the choice of spouse, especially due to his scheduled meeting with the Queen. Her Majesty normally – and traditionally too – welcomes just one spouse of a head of a state and this simple fact may have been conveyed to the South Africans during the planning stage of the visit.

The columnists of the British press never guessed that President Zuma would toss a coin in order to select the spouse - something that two cricket captains do to determine who is going to bat first on the pitch – for obvious reasons. Nor did they suggest that he should throw a die instead, as the possibilities in his case clearly exceeded two. They found out through their contacts in South Africa that the spouses take up the role of the First Lady in rotation.

So, President Zuma did choose his newest wife, Thobeka Madiba, as the First Lady for the state visit to Britain while ending the speculation once and for all. The pair enjoyed the lavish reception thrown at them by the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family. Mrs Zuma seemed to be enjoying the limelight in the company of her husband; there was not a trace of animosity between President Zuma and various strata of the British administration that he came to contact with. Nor were there any pickets against the president by the British public for his alleged remarks, just before the visit – they are only for serial human right abusers, not for those who follow the traditions to the letter.

Of course, President Zuma has a right to practise the Zulu tradition of having many wives; it is particularly common in Kwazulu Natal province of South Africa – the traditional homeland of Zulus. Unfortunately, there may be millions of Zulu men who can simply wish they were presidents, because they can’t afford to embrace the tradition; it is pretty expensive and an economic nightmare.

President Zuma should have been glad about the exposure of his family in the British press. It raised an interest in some people who otherwise would have just ignored the visit of yet another politician. People showed an interest in this colourful politician, after knowing about one thing that he is good at – winning women.

The rumour is that President Zuma has another girlfriend who could potentially be his fourth wife. Even school kids saw a polygamist, a member of an able minority, they may otherwise have thought only existed in textbooks. The closest thing that the British public witnessed about polygamy before was the unfortunate series of events before a polygamist being sent to jail for breaking the law on the land.

President Zuma was able to highlight this phenomenon in Britain which may linger on in the atmosphere for some time, even after he winds up the visit. Perhaps, a daredevil may even start practising it while pointing finger at the president for inspiring him for the feat.

We all love colourful politicians; Europeans are no exception. The only European politician who shares a wavelength with president Zuma is Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister whose endless admiration of young Italian women cost him his marriage. He is officially single. So, the issue of the First Lady haunts him day and night, when he dares to visit a foreign country. The vacuum left behind by Mr Berlusconi is partially filled by President Zuma; the Europeans who love fun has got someone to look up to!

The pebble of marriage is being battered in liberal waters of Britain and the rest of Europe for some time. It has even become a hot political issue in the country before the forthcoming general election. This is an area which President Zuma could have explored and provided his expertise with, to save the dwindling institute from total collapse. President Zuma has a proven track record of keeping three in the sacred institute, not just one. If he did that, he would have enjoyed the warmth of the grateful public too, in addition to the sumptuous banquet that he enjoyed behind closed doors.

Former president Mandela knows more than anyone else how the adulation of the British public could evolve into reverence in a matter of years provided that you deliver on what you promise in a fair manner and do your best to galvanize the masses against racial disintegration.

If President Zuma expects the same honour in Britain, he should make a distinction between the British public and the British press as the first step in that process and then at 68, carefully manage his favourite indulgence, as the next step to follow. The metamorphosis from zero to hero is, then, as easy as predicting the determination of the president to take the fourth wife into his tent, in a matter of months.

- Asian Tribune -