Zuma grilled at lunch with World Editors

“More future than past in his political career” was how Jacob Zuma was described by Xavier Vidal-Folch, bureau editor of the Barcelona El Pais at a lunch hosted by the World Editors Forum in Cape Town today, Day 2. Tasked with introducing the ‘personality’, Mail & Guardian editor-in-chief, Ferial Hafajee introduced the former deputy pres of SA, with some obvious restraint, as a: freedom fighter/peacemaker/provincial minister/deputy president of SA/followed by two years of turbulence/love-hate relationship with media/plays a key role in selling newspapers/in several defamation suits against SA media… Zuma in turn thanked Ferial for her ‘warm’ intro – more hot seat than warm, methinks – but he did try some détente, saying there was more ‘love’ than ‘hate’! There were muted titters from fellow diners.

Sandwiched between the starter and main course and reading from a prepared speech, Zuma, seemingly on the election trail, was at pains to separate out the political leadership battle from the democratic processes of a country, which included, he explained, business and social leadership.

After that there was quite a bit on the miracle of South Africa’s democracy and all the constitutional guarantees to that democracy, for the benefit of the foreign press and possibly potential international campaign funders.

Things hotted up during the Q&A with so many questions about his court cases that the foreign chair, called for a variation on the theme. After a long soliloquy on press freedom and the responsibilities that come with responsible reporting, Zuma lectured the media on not allowing themselves to be used as political tools and the fact that while there were many media organisations to highlight abuses of press freedom, there were none to protect the rights of ordinary citizens, presumably himself, who were treated unfairly by the media.

He was then asked why, given his positive views on the need for press freedom in a democracy, outlined earlier in his speech, he was suing a cartoonist? Zuma said that during apartheid, he fought for press freedom and would defend it to the last drop of blood. However, he believes that the media went overboard in reporting on him and he needed to do something about it. (Cue Zapiro cartoonist, Jonathan Shapiro himself, the recipient of a Zuma writ, sitting at a table to the left of Zuma, with much head shaking and an exchanging of loaded looks with SA Press Council chair, Raymond Louw, seated at the same table.)

Continued Zuma: “The media tried me and convicted me. That was not reporting, that was going beyond reporting. They literally convicted me. I may not be right, the judges may decide this, but if the judges agree with me, then the media will know, they have to respect people. The media have done damage to people… such insensitivity… [the media] deals with you as if you have no family, no relatives.

Raymond Louw said anyone could go to the Press Ombudsman if there was a problem with any media reporting , and accused Zuma of wanting to gain money from the media by going the route of the courts. Zuma replied: “That may be your view and I’m not going to quarrel with your view.”

When asked why SA is not taking action to assist the people of Zim (by the editor of defunct Daily Mail in Zim whose offices were burned), he said SA had position of dialogue and could not play the “big Induna” with Zimbabwe.

Across the corridor was another lunch with the current deputy pres of SA and various govt ministers – I bet the timing of all arrivals was carefully planned! Also noticed that one of Zuma’s security was handling a soccer-themed stress ball… must be guarding such a big personality.

Lunch of koeksister bread rolls and a fish pate was great. Things are looking up.

Louise
Editor: Bizcommunity.com

PS Full Zoopy video available here