South African journalists reporting on President Jacob Zuma’s trip to Britain are pussycats compared with their counterparts from the UK media.
Zuma, who was well received by the queen, Prince Philip and Prime Minister Gordon Brown, did not receive the same reception from the country’s media.
In a Daily Mail article, British journalist Stephen Robinson called the president “a sex-obsessed bigot with four wives and 35 children”.
In an interview with John Perlman on South African radio station Kaya FM on Wednesday, Robinson admitted to having “a very low regard” for Zuma. On the evening talk show, he defended his article, saying when he had criticised the National Party government in the 1980s, he was also criticised and falsely accused — of trying to destroy South Africa.
But Zuma is not the only one who’s had to roll with the British media’s punches.
Rebecca English, another Daily Mail journalist, made nasty remarks over the voluptuous size of Zuma’s wife, Tobeka Madiba.
In her article, “The day polygamist president Jacob Zuma dined with the ‘old fashioned imperialists’“, English wrote: “Former bank clerk Mrs Madiba Zuma, whose generously proportioned figure strained at the seams of her gold shot-silk suit, looked overwhelmed by her surroundings, barely uttering a word as she walked with the royal party. But her smile was so warm that Prince Philip, for one, appeared charmed.”
Upset
An upset Zuma did not take kindly to the reporting.
In an interview with the Star hours before meeting Queen Elizabeth II, Zuma described himself as a freedom fighter who was being attacked by colonial bigots.
“Bear in mind that I’m a freedom fighter and I fought to free myself, also for my culture to be respected. I don’t know why they are continuing thinking that their culture is more superior than others, those who might have said so. I am very clear on these issues, I’ve not looked down upon any culture of anyone, and no one has been given an authority to judge others.
“When the British came to our country they said everything we did was barbaric, was wrong, inferior in whatever way,” he said.
The Telegraph reported that these comments by Zuma risked diplomatic embarrassment, just hours before meeting the queen.
In a BBC report, BBC world affairs correspondent Peter Biles said officials were nervous before Zuma’s visit, this after the president provoked criticism by acknowledging he had fathered a child out of wedlock, his 20th, with the daughter of one of South Africa’s leading football officials. There was also mention of his corruption charges — which have been withdrawn — and rape acquittal.
Interviewed by the Guardian, Dali Tambo, son of Oliver Tambo, pondered Zuma’s progress from visitor to Muswell Hill — which for 30 years it was home to Oliver Tambo — to visitor to Buckingham Palace. Dali Tambo said the Zuma he remembered “bore little resemblance to the cartoonish and libidinous man the press were presenting”.
“You’ll always have the media caricaturing politicians and I guess that’s part of their job,” he mused. “But it’s unfortunate that it ignores a very noble personal history. He has spent his entire life fighting for the liberation of his people. We view him as an honourable man.”