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THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 10 2012 22:16 | LAST UPDATED Feb 10 2012 22:16 |
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President Jacob Zuma on Sunday appealed for unity in the African National Congress in the wake of his apology for his sexual indescretions. Zuma apologised on Saturday for fathering a child out of wedlock, in the face of a national outcry. Zuma, who has three current wives and a fiancée , said on Saturday that he regretted the pain the incident had caused his family and South Africa. Zuma, who married for the fifth time last month, taking Thobeka Madiba as his third current wife, confirmed reports last week that he had fathered a child with Sonono Khoza, daughter of Irvin Khoza who heads the local organising committee for the Soccer World Cup. The baby girl, who was born in October, was reportedly the president's 20th child. Call for unity Zuma made the call for unity at an ANC meeting in Paarl on Sunday. Zuma said unity was the key to the ANC's success, and according to former president Nelson Mandela, it was the rock on which the party had been founded. Every province, region and branch was equally important when it came to this, said Zuma. "And therefore our focus should be to unite our organisation, not to do anything opposite to uniting. We must love one another as comrades."  CONTINUES BELOW Zuma also said it had been the intensity of the armed struggle, and not a decision by former president FW de Klerk, that led to Mandela's release from prison 20 years ago. This is a critical week for the embattled Zuma, who will deliver his State of the Nation speech on Thursday. He said he would speak about what it had taken for Mandela to "come out of prison" in the address. He intended to make a number of commitments in the address, which for the first time was being delivered in the evening. "I want you to note down the commitments we are going to be making, so that you will be able to ask us: 'Why are you not doing what you said you are going to do?'," he said. "People must cook early and eat early, and sit there ... so that the whole nation is part of the process." 'Leadership is as leadership does' Zuma must repair the damage he has done to the fight against HIV/Aids, DA leader Helen Zille said on Saturday. "Zuma must now match words with deeds ... The Democratic Alliance welcomes President Zuma's apology to the South African public. But words are not enough, he must now focus on repairing the damage he has done to the fight against HIV/Aids," she said. "It is worth recalling that Jacob Zuma has apologised in exactly these terms before. He must show that his deeds match his words. Leadership is as leadership does." She said the South African public would not be so forgiving next time around. - Sapa TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
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 Mea culpaSA President Jacob Zuma, seen here at the closing ceremony of the assembly of the African Union in Ethiopia in February, apologised on Saturday for fathering a child out of wedlock. Client Media Releases
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