ZUMA'S APRIL FOOL'S APOLOGY

The headline appearing in the Cape Times read: "Damning Nklanda Ruling- Top 6 for Zuma crisis meeting". The court ruling has created an intolerable situation for the ANC's top 6, it's executive committee, and the rank and file. Past crises, and there have been many, do not offer strategic precedents for damage control. The all-important issue facing the ANC was the court's unanimous judgment that Zuma had violated his oath of office. In doing so, he failed to uphold, defend and respect the constitution. Constitutional damnation of the worst kind! Not so for Zuma - a mealy-mouthed apology in response to the court ruling unabashedly signifying "You won't get rid of me that easily" Historians will record that a growing number of South Africans expected Zuma, when addressing the nation on April 1, 2016, to step down. People should have known otherwise, as it happened to be April Fool's Day - the day the nation was taken for a fool by the consummate fool. April 1, 2016, will be remembered by South Africans as a day of bitter dismay when Zuma refused to take the honourable path by stepping down as president. Then again, honour was never an ingredient in Zuma's DNA.