On Zuma's Communist past

Let's talk - not about sex - but books. Remember them? One book out of which I used to get a kick was a collection of Andy Capp cartoons, which at least some of this newspaper's readers must recall.

In one of them, if I remember correctly (and obviously I don't), Andy said to his minister something along the lines of "If you don't lend me some money, I'll drown myself" - and in the next frame, we see him standing on the edge of the bar about to dive into his ever-present pint.

The minister, taking money from his pocket, grins at the reader and says: "I'll forgive a man with style just about anything."

I'll forgive a man who can write well just about anything - which is why the first book I want to mention is the recently-published Inside Quatro: Uncovering the Exile History of the ANC and Swapo (Jacana Books) by Paul Trewhela. Trewhela writes wonderfully, with passion and enormous clarity, and anyone interested in our "real" recent history should read this book.

The reason I have to "forgive him" is that I find him annoying - like a neighbourhood dog that barks at 3am every day and won't stop. And one of the issues about which he bangs on incessantly is Jacob Zuma's alleged complicity in the death in Lusaka of Muziwakhe Ngwenya, better known as Thami Zulu.

I don't mind Trewhela raising the matter. I think it's important that he did and does. It's just that he never stops. And, as befits a former member of the SACP (they're like ex- smokers in their zeal), Trewhela's approach comes from the nasty side of the street.

But there's nowhere else to go with the issue. Trewhela and others have said what they have to say. Zuma has chosen not to say what he has to say (mainly, I understand, because Zuma has nothing to say!). So enough already!

Another issue that exercises Trewhela is Zuma's (former) membership of the Communist Party, which brings me to the second book I want to mention. On Tuesday night Rian Malan's Resident Alien (Jonathan Ball Publishers) was launched at Johannesburg's Radium Beer Hall. Malan is, as I think most South Africans know, an absolutely remarkable writer - perhaps one of the best writers and commentators in the world.

But what struck me about Malan's speech and at least one of the pieces in the book is how seriously he takes communism - or, to be precise, the membership of the party by such people as Thabo Mbeki and Zuma.

I must say that the bogeymen, or evil agendas, that Malan and Trewhela see lurking in the CP memberships, or former CP memberships, of many ANC luminaries - I do not buy.

Here's a silly old joke about the Lone Ranger and Tonto. The two went camping in the desert. After setting up their tent, they fell sound asleep.

Some hours later, Tonto woke the Lone Ranger and said, "Kemo Sahbee, look towards sky. What you see?"

The Lone Ranger replied, "I see millions of stars."

"What that tell you," asked Tonto.

The Lone Ranger pondered for a minute, then said: "Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies. Time- wise, it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Theologically, the Lord is all powerful and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What's it tell you, Tonto?"

"You dumber than buffalo s**t. Someone stole tent."

I think the simple and correct explanation is that someone merely stole the tent - in other words, that Zuma and others joined the SACP because that was what young revolutionaries did then (the SACP being the one party that had remained resolutely anti- apartheid). It was almost de rigueur for people such as Zuma, for young people embarking on the Struggle to, among other things, join the party.

But, to continue this discussion, you'll have to wait for the second edition of the Zuma biography, scheduled for next year.

Jeremy Gordin is author of Zuma: A Biography. This article first appeared in the Daily Dispatch.

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responses to this article

Gordin article Keep the bad jokes coming, brother J! by Paul H on November 13 2009, 16:51 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Oh gawd, not another Zuma book So as Zuma's official praise singer, how can we take anything you say on him seriously. Trewhela finds a murky skeleton - Zuma tells you he doesn't want to talk about it - so you say "Oh, OK then". It seems to me that the Communists . .more have discovered a way of gaining power without getting elected by merely highjacking the ANC and manipulating the ignorant gullible ANC voting fodder to get their Commie people in the key positions. I say we dismiss the threat at our risk. . .less by Sad Days on November 14 2009, 00:50 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

I vos only following (Party) orders ...doesn't really cut it. You're also conflating two separate issues: JZ's SACP membership and his role in the ANC's intelligence branch. Trewhela in his book, I think, is much more concerned about Zuma's role in Mbokodo than his SACP membership (though . .more there was a strong connection between the two organisations). . .less by Gus Gosling on November 15 2009, 09:34 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

JG and the Quatro Events of 1984 Unfortunately Jeremy, you do not deal with the more substantive issues raised in the aforementioned book by Paul T., i.e. the Stasi/GPU/KGB/FSB-training of top members of the ANC/MK during their days in exile and of the Stalinist-mindset and practises . .more they carried out in Angola from 1984-86, which the whole world's anti-apartheid movements shut-up about as it was too thorny an issue to raise (might split the anti-apartheid camp, or Rainbow Coalition_in_the_making! Why did they do so and do YOU remain silent brother Man? O.K. I am barking like a mean ol' hound-dog .... but who listens anyway today, with all the distractions around, especially as S'frica drew with Japan in fussball, Boks lost to the frogs in Toulouse (that Rasta was an enemy-agent eh?), and Caster is back on the track! And next year there will be even more fussball and queer-bashing maybe? . .less by Dr Selim Y Gool on November 15 2009, 09:57 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Dr Gool Au contraire - you are responding with interesting, rational argument. Thank you by jeremy gordin on November 15 2009, 10:45 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Cry Freedom ... or ... Cry Woof? Au contre monsionor - we beg to differ maybe on the really important issue - that of the militarization of the police and reserve forces with a "shoot-to-kill" attitude, the wholesale debasement of the "recall" process of 'rogue cops' that kill . .more indescriminately, of a former Police Chiel/Interpol Head that was in cahoots with the INTERNATIONAL MAFIA! Or is your bite worse than your bark, my freind? . .less by Dr Selim Y Gool on November 15 2009, 11:59 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Pick a cry - Freedom, Havoc or Wolf In every generation, as Jeremy and Rian know too well, there are those that prophesy and tend toward the taking of things quite seriously, who see the bigger picture of stars, and God and the universe. Then there are those that tend towards another . .more interpretation and only see the missing tent. Somewhere in between the rest of the world yoyos blissfully from episode to episode and beer to beer. I tend to fall into the former camp. I'd rather be wrong about that crazy Austrian chap next door with the moustache and the shouting about the Jews, than be right. Whether communist or fascist, or just misguided Afro-nationalist, Zuma is scary as hell (in the way Attila recommended his generals be) and the subtle almost indistinct way he simultaneously straddles the fence of morality and performs wild gymnastics on it makes for good headlines but not a good night's sleep. . .less by Llewellyn Kriel on November 15 2009, 21:51 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Great commentry Brilliant comments everyone. Good read on a Monday morning. Llewellyn, I chuckled out loud at your description of Zuma's antics. by Jamo on November 16 2009, 08:08 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Our worst fears have already been realised! Those of us who like their "i" dotted and their "t" crossed are grateful to Paul Trewhela for revealing the sinister antecedents of the nightmare that has ripped up the very foundations of South Africa's supposed "constitutional democracy" and "rule of . .more law". But Jeremy Gordin's forthcoming denialism will find many readers desperate for "good news" of the kind featured by the Citizen's Aida Parker in the days when Mervin Reese and Helen Zille fought the apartheid regime's "Info scandal". . .less by Siegfried Hannig on November 16 2009, 08:17 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Boring I agree with L Kriel. Churchill became very boring about that Hitler fellow, didn't he. Crawford-Browne and Pat de Lille also went on a bit about Arms Deal I. Perhaps the real issue is not why Zuma - or Mbeki - joined the CP, but rather . .more that they don't think they need bother to account for it (any more than where the bribe monies from BAE or "Terminal" Shabir went). If accountability isn't the essence of democracy, what is? . .less by Theseus on November 16 2009, 08:52 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Communists in power Why don't the SACP stand for elections outsied of the alliance? Very simple - they don't need to because they are already in power. How one can say communist and democracy in the same sentence is beyond me. by Burtfred on November 16 2009, 09:08 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Don't forget that Zuma is Gwede Mantashe's mere puppet! "Gwede Mantashe can dress down a minister directly if he or she drifts off the party line. In other countries that would be the president's job," wrote Peter Bruce in today's Business Day. The truth is that Zuma is losing out to Julius Malema, . .more as Gwede Mantashe's primary exponent of our racist, Soviet "national democratic revolution"! Viva the self-destruction! . .less by Observer on November 16 2009, 09:22 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Cancel BEE cancel the attempts to stop racist speak tax companies BEE is the worst thing for SA. Cancel it and introduce a tax on companies based on their size and profits and give the locals a share of the mines. Malema is right why should foreigners own the mines give the locals 5% or whatever free. Then allow all . .more race speak so people can get it off their chests, get tired of it and move on - they say things like white idiots or black idiots anyway it is just behind closed doors so let them say it to each other and get over it. Come on Jacob show leadership. . .less by Leadership needed on November 16 2009, 09:46 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Keep on, even if people say you are boring them "But there's nowhere else to go with the issue. Trewhela and others have said what they have to say. Zuma has chosen not to say what he has to say (mainly, I understand, because Zuma has nothing to say!). So enough already!" Actually, NO NO NO. . .more WE cannot drop an issue, not this one specifically as have no idea who Muziwakhe Ngwenya is, but all and any issue/s, because dropping the issue plays into the ANC's hands. Their approach on so many scandals has been to say nothing or simply to stop talking about it, in the hope that those good ethical people who have made the scandal public knowledge will simply shut up and go away. No, do not shut about about the arms deal (versions 1 and 2 now), Oilgate, Travelgate, any number of crooked tenders, etc etc. Rage on, rage on, until the ANC goes very ungently, whimpering and crying, sore and defeated and discredited once and for all, into that good night, never to again trouble the voters and citizens of this fine country with their filth again. . .less by Alto on November 16 2009, 10:57 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Dr Selim Y Gool Your comments are spot on. Why am I as a foreigner with no real knowledge of South African policy always reminded of the cold war and the than separated Eastern part of my home country (GDR). It's frightening. But to be more positive: The "ANC plus" is . .more engaged in a "dedicated fight for a democratic, non-racial and non-sexist society in South Africa." . .less by Klaus in RSA on November 16 2009, 11:11 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Communism You're right, Jeremy. The size and threat of the SACP are hugely exaggerated. A true communist in Africa is as rare as the Pope's wife. Marxism is the antithesis of the African acquisitive ethic. by Wolf on November 16 2009, 11:12 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

truth, respect and humility South Africa still has a long way to go in terms of becoming a normal society- a society that is devoid of inequalities and inequities. What I have further noticed is that there are only three characteristics that shall set South Africa free, namely, . .more truth, respect and humility. Any political debate and governance devoid of these characteristics will not take South Africa any further but it will be a situation of history repeating itself. My wish is that political participants heed this call of mine. But hey! If wishes were horses beggars would ride. . .less by King Zwakala on November 16 2009, 12:41 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@King Zwakala Why do you even bother responding to this riff raff whose minds are never too troubled by the demands of serious thought? by darkie on November 16 2009, 17:26 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Wolf - Crying "Wolf!"; or crying, Wolf... Firstly, you misunderstand communism in the African context. Communism requires that all resources are the property of the state, and IN DIRECT CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT. In other words, it is the ULTIMATE expression of your "African acquisitive ethic" . .more from the point of view of those in power. Further, the size of the SACP may be exaggerated, but not necessarily the threat. Remember that it only takes a small number of party elite in charge of a sizeable budget to sway many things in their favour. The budget need only be used to "buy" the support of lesser leaders (think tender gravy train) and to build an effective propaganda machine (who hasn't been called racist and blamed for government failure these days?). Combine this with the current economic crisis, handily blamed on capitalism, and the ingredients are all in place for a slow and gentle slide to the left. This may or may not be anywhere near the current true ambitions of the governing party, but the possibility is almost as chilling as your naivete in dismissing it out of hand. . .less by M on November 16 2009, 20:37 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

communism in africa Africa is europe 600 years ago. everything in the state belongs to the king (president). by jsp on November 17 2009, 06:13 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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