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ALL TALK: President Jacob Zuma was interviewed by the British Broadcasting Corporation. PHOTO: GCIS

WORRISOME: Zandspruit residents protest over lack of service delivery in this file picture. President Jacob Zuma spoke to the BBC about the increase in service delivery protests. Photo: DANIEL BORN/ THE TIMES

 There is nothing to clear my name on. Absolutely nothing. I'm sure it's just politicking, that's all 

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Speaking to the British Broadcasting Corporation on Monday in a television interview, Zuma expressed concern at increasing service delivery protests.

Zuma effectively argued that branches did not carry out political work and that this contributed to frequent outbreaks of violent protests.

But the president maintained that his concern did not spell danger for his and the ANC's political future.

"I wonder what kind of political work do they do to identify the problems and to help the government to be aware as to what needs to be done.

"What are the areas (of service) that need to be identified because the degree of the problems are not the same (everywhere)."

Zuma's pronouncements follow on recommendations made at the ANC's national policy conference of the need to have ward-based branches in each of the country's estimated 20000 voting districts.

Delegates identified this strategy as key to maintaining existing support among the electorate while also garnering new membership.

On the controversial arms deal, Zuma maintained his innocence, adding that he does not need to clear his name over long-standing allegations that he improperly influenced the deal.

The president pointed out that he was still a "provincial minister" in KwaZulu-Natal when the deal was signed and that this factor exonerated him of any wrongdoing.

"There is nothing to clear my name on. Absolutely nothing. I'm sure it's just politicking, that's all. You would know that it was an issue that was raised some time ago ... and I was never involved in the process of the arms deal.

"I was still an MEC, a provincial minister. I was not even in the national (government) so I never got involved.

"There were allegations and these allegations could not stick."

Corruption charges against Zuma were dropped in 2009 after the National Prosecuting Authority came across the so-called spy tapes, in which former Scorpions head Leonard McCarthy and former prosecutions boss Bulelani Ngcuka allegedly conspired over the timing of the charges laid against Zuma.

Zuma reminded the viewers that he had instituted an inquiry into the controversial arms deal "to investigate everything", saying this indicated that "I've got no corruption to clear".

On the R2-billion presidential jet scandal: "Travels of the president are the responsibility of the defence (department).

"And I haven't sat down to discuss any plane and amount.

"If I entered (the fray) to answer any question without knowing all the details, I think I would be doing the wrong thing." - molatlhwao@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Sun May 19 19:54:23 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 4, 2012

1andonlybucs

mr president. people do not protest for nothing. why are we still having shacks and RDP houses in our country today and yet still call ourselves a power house? and a R2- billion jet just for you? really? that money can save a lot of lives. put it into education as busary for matriculants who cannot afford going to varsity. help primay schools in villages. we talking about R2-billion here. all that for a stupid plane? if its true that this amount was spashed for the jet then i give up!!
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Jul 4, 2012

Pointman

"And I haven't sat down to discuss any plane and amount."

This statement says a lot about the president - why did you not say - "We cannot afford R2bn for a plane and it is certainly not needed." Playboys like the president need all the trappings to impress their female playthings.
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Jul 4, 2012

Flemza

The ANC policy conference last week was a good start to deal with protests I so much wish these so called councilors can now start doing ther job instead of always blaming Zuma as if Zuma is a messiah , I thinks its time for us as citizen start to take responsibillty
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Jul 4, 2012

MGEEZ

The president pointed out that he was still a "provincial minister" in KwaZulu-Natal when the deal was signed and that this factor exonerated him of any wrongdoing.
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Really Mr president???? How were you exonerated of any wrong doing on the arms deal?
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Jul 4, 2012

BaleliM

I was told by a colleague that no matter how i feel about JZ, he is still a president and i should respect him.
With all due respect JZ, how the fcuk do you get a damn plane for 2 billion when kids in Limpopo have no school books, no toilets for the majority of the poor, no running water, still living in shacks that feel like a morgue fridge in winter, leak and floods in rainy season, some kids walk for 10km to get to the nearest school, some families sleep hungry because they have no ID's that your horror affairs fail to issue for them to get the much needed grant, hospitals go for a week without water, hospital generators do not work, crime is an everyday, wait a minute crime is an every second occurance, rapists go on bail because of the incompetent corrupt cops and the list is endless!! And we call ourselves the super power of africa? Get your act together in sorting out all these issues in the country and spend less time between, oh sorry, spend less quality time increasing the family tree!!
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Jul 4, 2012

MGEEZ

It takes six months to get text books to schools in the province of Limpopo; children are attending schools under a tree; People in Mpumalanga do not have clean water (apparently the municipality requir es 245 million to resolve this problem; but you sir can afford a plane worth 2 Billion??
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Jul 4, 2012

THAPZA8514

i heard you saying that you're sitting on a time boom. its now you realize that the needs for poeple are much more important than your personal interest.
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Jul 4, 2012

WakeUpSouthAfrica

Boohoo Jacob. The ANC is busy burning. No sweet talking past it. You were never exonerated for the arms deal. Get that through your head.

As for your R2 billion jet, what happened to Mbeki's jet that we paid R1.6 million for? Are we buying jets for every president now?

Oh wait, Mbeki's jet was fUUUUKED up and beyond repair.

You going to have to do better than this dude. Your policy conference was merely that, a conference. You all walked out of it, slapping each other on the backs, but nothing is going to change. You will still steal R30 billion a year from South Africa. You will still be marred with incompetent government officials. Education will fail and you will forever blame the white man.
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Jul 4, 2012

DjEp

Zuma must be tested he is high in drugs!
He should know as the President what are the needs of the people of the country not wait to be told by the braches!
If he thinks his actions doesnt put him and ANC in danger he must be tested because he is dreaming! We are fed up of him and his thu.gs ANC friends
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Jul 4, 2012

Arewanga

Zuma must just step dow as president to avoid further service protests. Sice he became president nothing is going right. He must just go a form his own Republic of Kwazulu Natal and leave this other intelligent provinces alone. These Zulus!
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