Born on April 12, 1942, in Nkandla, South Africa, Jacob Zuma became a member of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1959. Two years prior to his election as South Africa’s president, he ascended through the party’s ranks and was made president in 2007 after serving time in prison for his connection with a militant wing. Zuma is a contentious politician who has been linked to multiple judicial controversies involving racketeering and corruption. In addition, he is a polygamist who has 20 children. In February 2018, as the African National Congress (ANC) attempted to remove him from office, Zuma announced his resignation as president.
Jacob Zuma’s Early Years and Upbringing
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma, a controversial figure in South African politics, was born on April 12, 1942, in Nkandla, a region of South Africa that is today known as KwaZulu Natal (formerly Zululand). At the age of four, he lost his police officer father. In order to support his family, he took on odd tasks to supplement his father’s income while his mother worked as a domestic helper. He taught himself to read and write because he could not attend school.
In the late 1950s, under the influence of a family member who was a trade unionist, Zuma joined the African National Congress (ANC), a political organization that opposed the nation’s system of apartheid, or racial segregation, and other discriminatory practices. Zuma was forced to conceal his participation at this time due to government bans on the ANC and other opposition organizations.
Jacob Zuma Getting Started in Politics
The ANC, which had long been a nonviolent organization, was forced to go underground and in the early 1960s, it established a militant branch. The new militant group, Umkhonto we Sizwe, committed acts of sabotage against the government. After joining the gang in 1962, Zuma and 45 other members were arrested the following year, and he was found guilty of conspiracy shortly after. He was given a ten-year prison sentence and spent it at the notorious Robben Island jail, where Nelson Mandela—the nation’s future president—was also held for a long period.
Following his release in 1973, Zuma kept up his employment with the ANC and was instrumental in establishing the underground group’s infrastructure in KwaZulu Natal. He went into exile and lived in various different African countries two years later. In 1977, Zuma joined the National Executive Committee of the ANC, demonstrating his continued commitment to the party. Over the ensuing ten years, he held several ANC positions and developed a reputation for being dependable and industrious.
Zuma returned to South Africa in 1990, following the lifting of the ANC’s ban. In relation to political prisoners and exiles’ repatriation, he assisted the party in negotiations with the ruling administration, which was headed by F. W. de Klerk. In addition, Zuma tried to put an end to the bloodshed in KwaZulu Natal, his home state. Despite his unsuccessful bid to become the province’s premier in 1994, Zuma is recognized for bringing about enduring peace in the area and joined the Executive Committee of Economic Affairs and Tourism that same year. He was elected to the ANC’s national chairpersonship and the KwaZulu Natal chairpersonship within his own political party.
Jacob Zuma Charges of Corruption and Rape
As Zuma continued his rise through politics, Thabo Mbeki named him executive deputy president of South Africa in 1999, following Mbeki’s election to the President. A special team known colloquially as “the Scorpions” was established by Mbeki as part of his vision for the nation to look into corruption. Subsequently that year, the South African government declared that an agreement had been struck to purchase strategic weapons, including boats, helicopters, planes, and submarines, for 29 million rand. Zuma has been plagued by this deal for years. When financial discrepancies were found, he and other government officials were looked into. Zuma was charged with corruption after being found not guilty in a 2001 investigation on the subject; however, the allegations were later withdrawn in 2003.
In 2005, Zuma’s legal problems reappeared following the conviction of Shabir Shaik, his financial advisor, for corruption and fraud. Zuma was accused of corruption once more for accepting a bribe in relation to the 1999 arms sale. President Mbeki fired him as a result.
Zuma was accused of raping a lady in his house in December 2005. Zuma entered a not-guilty plea and was put on trial in Johannesburg for several months at the beginning of 2006. Zuma received criticism for his lack of knowledge regarding the spread of HIV/AIDS during the trial. Zuma claimed that they had sex without protection and that he showered afterward to prevent contracting the infection from his HIV-positive accuser. For a nation that has been fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic, this was major news. Zuma was cleared of the case in May when the judge determined that the sexual relations were consensual.
A judge dismissed the corruption accusations against Zuma in the fall of 2006. It did, however, leave the door open for charges to be brought against him later on. Without any legal troubles, Zuma was soon vying for the ANC presidency. He challenged President Mbeki, a longtime ally, to lead their political party. Although some perceived Mbeki as distant and uninvolved with the populace, he was seen as a moderate leader who had contributed to the country’s economy, which was one of the strongest in Africa, growing gradually.
Jacob Zuma’s Leadership in South Africa
Jacob Zuma, in contrast to Mbeki, portrayed himself as a man of the people, and many South Africans found him appealing because of his victory against early hardships. A man of action, he also made the most of his past as a guerilla fighter by adopting the song “Bring Me My Machine Gun” as his anthem.
When Zuma overthrew Mbeki in December 2007, it was thought that South Africa was about to undergo transformation. Strongly backed by the unions and a few communist party officials, the Pretoria News reported that he was expected to shift from Mbeki’s centrist positions to the left. This raised some questions about the future of the nation’s economy.
South Africa’s 2009 presidential election saw Zuma defeat Kgalema Motlanthe, who went on to become his deputy president. Despite growing criticism that his administration had not successfully combated corruption or improved the country’s economy, he was reelected in 2014.
Jacob Zuma’s Resignation as SA President
Jacob Zuma announced his resignation as South Africa’s president on February 14, 2018. The declaration followed the ANC’s public demands for the president’s resignation and a vote of no confidence in him.
In a nationally televised political address, he declared, “No life should be lost in my name and the ANC should never be divided in my name.” “I have therefore come to the decision to resign as president of the republic with immediate effect.”
For months, the ANC had been attempting to remove Zuma. Former union leader Cyril Ramaphosa was chosen by the party to be its next president in December 2017, however Zuma later turned down the ANC’s request for him to go peacefully.
FAQs
What is Jacob Zuma’s Full Name?
His full name is Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma
When is Jacob Zuma’s Birthday?
Jacob Zuma was born on April 12, 1942
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