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Thread: Tutu on Zuma

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Tutu on Zuma

    I see there has not been much response from the political heavyweights on Tutu's comments about Zuma's run for the Presidency. This article on M&G for some background.

    Not much support or objection to Tutu's statements, to an extent, shows a rather keen awareness of how important the upcoming presidential selection actually is for the future of this country. Things seem delicately poised.

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    Silver Member Candy Bouwer's Avatar
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    Tutu on Zuma
    I'm glad some one is standing up for what he believe in regardless of what others might say about "judging people". If Tutu wasn't a priest ...this would not have been an issue. Personally I agreed with Tutu that Zuma should stand down. There is far to much hype around him and leaves a bad taste in anyones book. Where are the old values of being untainted when one runs for something like this. Slander and scandal seems to be the norm nowdays and far from being poised in a delicate balance, the non response (i think) interprets a defiance and ultimately underlying power struggle.
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    Bronze Member Alan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Candy Bouwer
    I'm glad some one is standing up for what he believe in regardless of what others might say about "judging people". If Tutu wasn't a priest ...this would not have been an issue. Personally I agreed with Tutu that Zuma should stand down. There is far to much hype around him and leaves a bad taste in anyones book. Where are the old values of being untainted when one runs for something like this. Slander and scandal seems to be the norm nowdays and far from being poised in a delicate balance, the non response (i think) interprets a defiance and ultimately underlying power struggle.
    I hear you here Candy, but this only happens in the 3rd world countries, just ask Bill Clinton if he agrees.
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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Does this make sense? Taken from this article on M&G"
    "We cannot allow Tutu to undermine decisions that are taken within constitutional structures of the ANC on the support to be given to Zuma," said Cosas president Kenny Motshegoa in a statement.

    The students condemned Tutu's attacks on the ANC deputy president.

    "His malicious statements to declare that comrade Zuma should withdraw from the race for presidency are illusions without significance or impact to sober South Africans."

    He labelled Tutu an "empty populist who just utters statements to score minor political points, not caring whether they are disgraceful to his offices".

    "We are now not sure of his mental status as it leaves much to taste. His public behaviour is reckless and he is a scandalous man who cannot impose his moral views."

    Motshegoa said to label the support given to Zuma as one that is not principled is an insult by the archbishop.

    "Howling voices like Tutu, which are not founded on principles cannot mislead us.

    "Does Tutu think he is higher than the court that cleared Zuma, or does he think he has a better moral base than others?"

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    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    I love Desond Tutu - he is one of the people who I would really love to meet. He speaks his mind - honestly and with compassion. His goal is not to further politics, but to further our country.

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    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    The M&G is running an edited version of Tutu's speech
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    Silver Member Candy Bouwer's Avatar
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    I love Desond Tutu - he is one of the people who I would really love to meet. He speaks his mind - honestly and with compassion. His goal is not to further politics, but to further our country.

    When will these wally's get it?
    Ditto!!! I think someone is just peeved not to have commented first and looking to discredit anyone with their own view or opinions...talk about freedom of speech!!!
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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Great link, Duncan - thanks.

    This bit struck me right between the eyeballs:
    I must confess that I have been quite naive. During the days of our struggle our people were magnificently altruistic. We had a noble cause and almost everyone involved was inspired by high and noble ideals. When you told even young people that they might be tear-gassed, hit with quirts, or have vicious dogs set on them, that they might be detained and tortured and even killed, there was a spirit almost of bravado as they said, "So what? I don't care what happens to me as long as it advances our cause."

    My naiveté was that I believed these noble attitudes and exalted ideals would, come liberation, be automatically transferred to hold sway in the new dispensation. What a comprehensive let-down -- no sooner had we begun to walk the corridors of power than we seemed to want to make up for lost time. We succumbed to the same temptations as those others we had thought to be lesser mortals.
    And from there he starts going into details. But that about sums it up.

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    Mbeki slams "children"

    The saga continues here on M&G.
    South African President Thabo Mbeki has sprung to the defence of Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu -- who recently urged that former deputy president Jacob Zuma should not become president -- following what he describes as a "truly distressing personal attack" on the archbishop by the Congress of South African Students (Cosas).

    This follows Tutu's remarks -- in the Harold Wolpe memorial lecture on August 23 -- that he would not be able to hold his head high if African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Jacob Zuma, dismissed as the nation's deputy president last year, became president of the country.

    Mbeki noted that Cosas leader Kenny Motshegoa had shot back at Tutu by saying: "We [Cosas] condemn the recent attacks on the deputy president of the ANC [Zuma] by the Archbishop Tutu, who claims to be the moral authority of society.

    "We cannot allow Tutu to undermine decisions that are taken within constitutional structures of the ANC, on the support to be given to comrade Jacob Zuma."

    Motshegoa added further: "Does Tutu think he is higher than the court that cleared Jacob Zuma, or does he think he has a better moral base than others?"

    Motshegoa was referring to Zuma's acquittal on a rape charge.

    But Mbeki -- who could face a contest for the ruling ANC leadership next year against Zuma -- said in his ANC Today internet column on Friday: "We must ask ourselves the question how is it possible that children, such as the members of Cosas, feel empowered to demand that their grandfathers should 'provide us with [their] sexual history before [they] speak as experts on sexual behaviour'!"

    He was referring to Motshegoa's demand that Tutu did so.

    Mbeki asked too: "How is it possible that these children become so emboldened that they can easily dismiss the views of their grandfather by describing him as "a scandalous man?".

    The president continues: "What happened that inspired the very young to conclude that our national heroes are nothing more 'than loose cannons that have been 'certificated' without formal education on justice, by conspirators who have degrees in political jealousy and conspiracy'!

    "What is it that gives the very young the audacity to repudiate what our senior citizens say to all of us as being nothing more than the product of 'howling voices'!"

    Tutu had said in the lecture: "Our Constitution, which the country's president promises to guard and uphold, guarantees to each of us the right to our point of view. I like Jacob Zuma as a warm, very approachable person, but he did nothing to stop his supporters [during the rape case].

    "I for one would not be able to hold my head high if a person with such supporters were to become my president, someone who did not think it necessary to apologise for engaging in casual sex without taking proper precautions in a country that is being devastated by this horrendous HIV/Aids pandemic. What sort of example would he be setting?"

    Mbeki, calling for youth respect of their elders, said: "The utterly unacceptable things said by the president of Cosas against the person of Archbishop Tutu are totally at variance with the cultural standards that inform the behaviour of the overwhelming majority of our young people.

    "They have conveyed an image of an uncivilised society that our country and people do not deserve."
    Frankly, I'm impressed. Way to go, Thabo.

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