A Prayer for the Zuma Case

The best time to pray is always now...

Father God, we pray for this pivotal case in South Africa's future, where Jacob Zuma goes on trial for alleged offences. We understand the tensions between different worldviews, the chance of dashed hopes either way, of hopes and aspirations hanging on either side of this verdict.

Above all, we pray for truth and justice, that even as each of us stand accountable before You, may each of us stand accountable before the law. May the outcome of this case be fair and just in the minds of all and may the case be presented in a such a way that the arguments for and against, along with the presentation of the facts, be clear so that all can understand. If there are hidden agendas or details that could unfairly sway the result, may they be brought to light.

May this be a time when the judges are inspired by a sense of purpose. We pray that they think beyond personal prejudice, either way, and see the picture in its fullness with clarity, conviction and resolution. May they hear the cries of the good people in South Africa and may they march forward on that expectation, leaning on it and fulfilling it. We also pray for their protection during and after the trial.

May Jacob Zuma know his position in this trial. If he is not guilty of the charges, may he have the presence of mind to present his case. If he is guilty, may he have the courage to lead this country in the right direction by being humble and acknowledging his error. Either way, may he be a better leader by the end of it, with a greater sense of where he stands in relation to You.

Finally, may the outcome and announcements be met without violence or undue remonstration. May the proceedings be conducted in respect and may we all walk away with a sense that no one is greater than the law, let alone Your law.

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

Media Caught in a Tug of War

Jacob Zuma for once made his stance a little clearer by some rather provocative statements about the SA media recently. Among his writings come some interesting quotes:

"There are few, if any, mainstream media outlets that articulate a progressive left perspective."

"Those with power, particularly economic power, are keen that the media serves to reinforce their privileged position, while those who seek a more equitable distribution of resources campaign for a media that serves the cause of a more equitable society."

"At times, the media functions as if they are an opposition party"

Funnily enough, many members of the ACDP hold the opposite view much of the time: that the media is overly left-aligned and distinctly humanist (which is a bad word in ACDP circles). Perhaps in light of Zuma's comments we should be grateful that the media is not more left-aligned than it already is.

While the media does clearly dish out criticism of the present government, most of that criticism is deserved - for that kind of criticism to be withheld would be a violation of the integrity of the media. But then again, violation of integrity seems to have become far less of a taboo within the ANC than it should be. We watched with fascination in 1999 as the SABC covered the election build-up. The cameras covered each party's campaigns, throwing in little curse words over each one. When it came to the ACDP, the narrator said the event being shown was more like a sermon than a political campaign. But no bad words were said when the ANC event was shown. This was a blatant indication of ANC bias within the media. How can Zuma dare to suggest that the SABC is insufficiently aligned to his movement?

South Africa's media can undoubtedly improve. It can start leaning closer to integrity, good values, work ethics and basic human values, like the right to life of an unborn baby. If Zuma thinks the media leans too far to the right, he is wrong. It should lean even further.

ANC Election Was a Lose-Lose Situation

The ANC's national convention in Polokwane has been watched with nervous faces around the country over the last few days. It's pretty clear that the media shares the views of many South Africans that there is a cloud hanging over an ANC-led South Africa.

I was caught between the two candidates. Jacob Zuma is very clearly not the right person for presidency. Anybody with a nose can sniff that all is not well with his candidacy, and the immunity from prosecution which presidency would grant him is a frightening prospect. However, I believe it would have been almost as bad if Thabo Mbeki had been given a shot at a third presidential term. For that kind of power to entrench itself in the long term makes the future of South Africa look more and more similar to that of Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, etc, etc.

Honestly though, a change in the ANC's leadership positions has a small side benefit for the ACDP in that it's good for South Africans to get used to change. By voting Mbeki out of his position, there are signs that the population is accepting that all is not well. That is good news. We are now just a few stepping stones away from realising that the real problem was not Mbeki, but the ANC itself.