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If you had to face the nation tonight after the series of humiliations Jacob Zuma has experienced in the last few months, you would have trembled at the thought. But not our President. He appears to be unashamed, if not downright jolly.
Either he is made of sterner stuff than the rest of us, or he is so sure of himself that he is really unable to see the gathering storm clouds. I put my money on the latter option – and it makes me afraid, very afraid.
Surely the reading of signs and signals of things to come should be one of the strongest abilities of a strategy-minded politician? If you surround yourself with frightened yes-men, who tell you only what you want to hear, you will be the last person to know that the enemy is at the gate.
Everyone refers to Zuma’s week of hell – I’d say he’s had a year of hell. Or let me rephrase that – anyone else going through the same things would have had a year of hell. Not our president. He seems to have chuckled his way cheerfully through service delivery protests, the prospect of junk status for SA’s debt, the finance minister debacle, Nkandla and ConCourt’s decision, the antics of the EFF, the plummeting of the rand, the drought, and soaring food prices.
Problem, what problem?
Even for those in complete denial there comes a time when a head-on collision with reality seems inevitable. For Jacob Zuma tonight seems to be the night.
Here are his options for the state of the nation address:
Call in the muscle. A massive security showdown - even though it backfired last year, that’s no reason why it shouldn’t be tried again. (Likelihood: 7 out of 10)
Carry on as if nothing’s happened. I put my money on this one – sit through the expected EFF antics, ignore the three groups of protesters outside, chuckle, don’t answer any questions, praise the government’s achievements (this must be getting harder every year) and head off to the lavish banquet, and then to bed for a night of unperturbed sleep. (Likelihood: 9.5 out of 10)
Go on the attack. Jacob Zuma is a cornered man. He has also been humiliated badly twice in the last two months. What do over-confident and power-hungry people do in the face of defeat? They attack. This is not advisable, as his support base, even in the ANC, is most probably shrinking by the day. But our president is not known for following advice. If he was in a bar, this is the point the fight would have broken out. (Likelihood: 4 out of 10)
Answer the questions honestly. Say when and how much of the Nkandla money will be paid back (it’s a year since the EFF asked the question at the last SONA) and give the real reason why Nhlanhla Nene was fired. (Likelihood: 2 out of 10)
Resign. Any normal person would want all of this to stop, so one can retire to the firepool with a beer. Not our president. He seems surgically attached to the idea of being president – whatever the cost to the nation. Personally he seems untouched by the approaching tsunami. He won’t do this unless he is somehow forced. It would be the astute thing to do, as he can still use his possible resignation as a bargaining tool to get immunity from prosecution on any future or outstanding charges. (Likelihood: 3 out of 10)
Follow the advice of the real experts. The nation is in a state, the rand is reeling, people are hungry, the economy is static at best, interest rates are up, crime rules our world, and the justice system is in disarray, the education system is not delivering, unemployment is both rife and soaring: people need to hear real proposals to deal with some of these enormous problems. Solutions that rise above the restrictions of party policy and are in the best interest of the nation as a whole. (Likelihood 2 out of 10)
Apologise to the nation. For squandering their money, for breaking their trust, for not having their best interests at heart, for ignoring advisers, for putting party interests above the welfare of the nation, for ignoring the interests of the poor, and for the endless nepotism and corruption which have characterised his term as president. (Likelihood: 2 out of 10)
Call in sick. I am sure it has crossed his mind, but that is not a possibility, unless there is a real medical emergency. If you’re the President, if you can stand up straight, you will be there. (Likelihood: 1 out of 10)
Susan Erasmus is a freelance writer
