The abstract:

…Two decades ago, an essay about Joyce Cary in The New York Review of Books described his book’s [Mister Johnson] lightheaded eponymous figure in terms that un-self-consciously echoed one of the oldest and ugliest stereotypes of Africans—their inability to master the concept of time: “A fragrant breeze, a blazing tropical sunrise, a pretty girl–such things so overwhelm him that past and future alike momentarily disappear.”

The processing of that abstract:

Personal life
Jacob Zuma [the new president of South Africa] is a self-proclaimed polygamist and has been married at least four times.

1. Gertrude Sizakele Khumalo, whom he met in 1959 and married shortly after his release from prison in 1973.[51] She lives at his home at Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal. They have no children.
2. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a cabinet minister since 1999, with whom he had four children. They divorced in June 1998.[52]
3. Kate Mantsho, from Mozambique, with whom he had five children. She committed suicide on 8 December 2000.[52]
4. Nompumelelo Ntuli (MaNtuli), the mother of two of his children, married on 8 January 2008. Ntuli, born 1975, is a resident of KwaMaphumulo near Stanger and has two children with Zuma—Thandisiwe, born 2002, and Sinqobile, born February 2006.[52]

Fiancées

1. Zuma paid lobola to the clan of Thobeka Stacey Mabhija, with whom he has two children, in 2007. The second of their children was born in October 2007 and they are expected to be married in 2010. Mabhija grew up in Umlazi, where she matriculated at Umlazi Commercial High School. She has worked at Standard Bank, Ithala, Cell C and SA Homeloans in La Lucia.
2. Zuma paid 10 cattle as lobola for Swazi Princess Sebentile Dlamini in 2002.
3. Lobola has been paid for Bongi Ngema, with whom he has a 3-year-old son.

He reportedly has 18 children,[58] including one resulting from an affair with Minah Shongwe, sister of Judge Jeremiah Shongwe, who asked to be recused from Zuma’s rape trial because of the liaison. She has a son, Edward, 30, with Zuma.

I don’t mind Africans who are overwhelmed by the sight of sunsets and pretty girls; I do, however, have a big problem with rich/powerful African men who use dead traditions to justify their outright exploitation of women within their poor societies. Zuma is an embarrassment. South Africa is finished.

The end.

Charles Mudede—who writes about film, books, music, and his life in Rhodesia, Zimbabwe, the USA, and the UK for The Stranger—was born near a steel plant in Kwe Kwe, Zimbabwe. He has no memory...

10 replies on “Abstract and Process: Movement Seven”

  1. Why aren’t anon comments with the same username as a registered user allowed?

    I hope South Africa holds on long enough to put on a successful World Cup next year.

  3. Perhaps instead of focusing on exploitation of a princess or a loan officer at a bank your concern about exploited women could extend to rape victims in other parts of Africa, forced prostitution in Asia, slaves in Niger and/or the mutiliations, the ostracisms, and the savagery against women in varios parts of the world?

    And isn’t your real problem with the South African electorate that just elected Zuma with a big fat majority despite knowing the things of which you complain? Thus ensuring his power?
    ,

  4. Wasn’t he also prosecuted for rape and was acquitted thanks to his “she was asking for it” defense? A real prize there.

  5. Zuma also famously mentioned that he protected himself from HIV/AIDS by taking a shower after unprotected sex. Let’s not forget the corruption charges that were just thrown out of court.

    Although I agree with Charles’ sentiment, Zuma’s cabinet appointments are interesting, especially Tokyo Sexwale.

  8. Charles,
    Do you tolerate polygamy? That is, a man or woman over the age of 18 having more than one spouse over the age of 18 consentually?

    BTW, I’ve read two articles asking who will be Zuma’s First Lady.

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