Comments on: A buffoon, is he?

By: Riley Cooper

Riley Cooper — Wed, 12 May 2010 23:34:26 +0000

Well, Family Feud is actually a classic game that traces back wayback in the 80′s i guess. It is a nice game anyway..,;

By: Kubatana.net speaks out from Zimbabwe » Blog Archive » Imperial snobbishness

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 10:14:33 +0000

[...] is a comment from The Guardian Weekly (12/3/10). It reminded me of Delta Ndou’s blog about Zuma being called a buffoon by the British media. “How do Zulus explain [...]

By: Charles

Charles — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:11:11 +0000

This reminds me of the Biblical story whereby this woman was caught committing udultery. They brought her to Jesus. Jesus did not condemn her but condemned her actions. But to the people who brought her to Jesus, He said anyone who has not committed a sin should throw the first stone. My point is many of us big and small has bigger skeletons in our cupboards than Zuma but because we enyoy our private lives then we think we are better. Its not numbers here that count. To me its how we have allowed our short lived desires to overrule our conscience and done bad things. I rest my case.

By: Buhle

Buhle — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:36:28 +0000

I agree with you, the British journalist has no right to call Zuma a buffoon. I also have problems with Zuma’s lifestyle but we have to understand it in the context of his culture.

Would the British journalist call gays and lesbians buffoons? or will he think it is ok if we call them buffoons?
The Western world seems to generally support gays and lesbians and fight for their recognition; fight for their rights as human rights, but what is so wrong with polygamy?
criticising someone is one thing but insulting? quite another

By: Sally D

Sally D — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:25:28 +0000

Thank you, well said.

As a South African (white South African, and Zimbabwean) I have plenty of problems with Zuma. His culture is one thing, but he does not respect his own culture which although polygamous is chaste and frowns on sexual immorality, never mind taking sexual advantage of younger women who should be in the role of a daughter to him since their fathers are his friends.

Nor is it (entirely) his own business and that of his wives. Zuma’s large and greedy family (I’m excepting from this his senior wife who seems to be the most amazing gentle and hard working rural person who stays right out of the spotlight), puts financial pressure on him which has already led him to near-disaster in terms of seeking sponsors or patrons who then expect their backs to be scratched in turn. I mean, how is he going to properly educate more than 20 children without somehow supplementing his State salary?

But for all that, our President is no buffoon and you’re quite right, blatantly racist and arrogant commentary like this, from a British journalist (so called) is deeply offensive to South Africans and not only black South Africans either. Zuma’s all about “show business” with the emphasis on business. He took a couple of HUNDRED business people with him to London. Nor does he particularly care what the British press say about him; he seems to be very secure at a personal level and does not react in a threatened manner even when criticised or challenged.

Which is more than one can say for at least one British-infatuated head of state in our neighbourhood who’s more British than the British when it comes to wives and afternoon tea, but thinks nothing of making toast out of his country’s economy.