JACOB Zuma has shown his touch as a people’s president in the face of violent protests and economic pressures that have deflated his ambitious election promises.Having just completed his first 100 days in office, the charismatic leader of Africa’s biggest economy has already faced anger over poor service delivery, mass strikes and the country’s first recession in 17 years.
But in a marked shift from his predecessor Thabo Mbeki, Zuma has shown signs of being more willing to listen and acknowledge problems, while mending fences with critics and opposition parties.
“It is a bit of a first 100 days from hell,” says political analyst Susan Booysen of Johannesburg-based Wits University.
One of the positive aspects of Zuma’s government is its reassurance to citizens and stated willingness to tackle challenges instead of pretending they don’t exist.
“We’ve seen very welcoming recognition that there is a crisis, and caution that much less is achievable,” she says. “(But) I don’t think they have been upfront enough about the jobs situation and the poverty situation.”
In the midst of an economic crisis, promises to create 500 000 jobs have proved overly ambitious and Zuma has had to tone down expectations. Some 270 000 jobs have been lost this year alone.
However, Booysen says initial responses to the crisis, which comes amid massive unemployment and poverty 15 years after the fall of apartheid, have been sluggish.
“We have heard of a number of plans but we haven’t seen things turned around with great effectiveness and visibility.” She warns of growing dissatisfaction with service delivery saying patience “could really, really start running thin”.
While Mbeki’s aloofness saw him fall in popularity, Zuma stunned residents in a township this week when he made an unannounced visit, finding the mayor at home in the middle of the day.
* City Press
