The people won't let Zuma apologise
Why doesn't Zuma just admit that he was wrong? Darren Maule thinks he has the answer...
Zuma's supporters think in terms of tribalism! They literally, quite literally, view Zuma as a Chief or a King. Not as a democratically elected leader who is, in fact, a civil servant.
These two schools of thought are completely different. And Zuma knows this!
He knows that no one questions a King or a Chief. Can you imagine if somebody went up to a Chief and asked : ”Why is it that you have such a beautiful, huge fence and yet none of the other villagers do?” Can you imagine what would happen to that villager in particular?
The Chief would banish him or beat him or kill him. No one questions The Chief!
The Chief is all knowing.
The Chief is all powerful.
The Chief is in control of everything and is beyond question or reproach.
Zuma knows this and he also knows that a huge percentage – as much as 60 – 65% (rough estimate) - actually do think this way. They see Zuma as a Chief or a King and certainly not as a civil servant who should consult with and act in the accordance to the will of the people.
So, Zuma knows! He knows that if he admits that he is wrong - which is so not what a Chief does – he will, very definitely, lose all his power. Then his followers will say: ”Hang on a second…his admission is certainly not fitting conduct for a King or a Chief.
Our leader is not wrong. Our leader does not make mistakes.” Zuma cannot admit that he is wrong! The minute he does, he loses that huge percentage of tribal thinkers.
The tribal thinkers believe that all the accusations levelled at Zuma are coming from those who ultimately want the power. The accusers are seen to be the outsiders, the Colonialists who are hell bent on breaking down the African regime. Some tribal thinkers really believe that the accusers are a demonic manifestation at work! This is the mind-set we are dealing with here.
And so the very moment Jacob Zuma says: “I was wrong. I made a mistake.” Two things will happen –firstly, his supporters will strip him of his “title” of leader and Chief.
He will no longer be their King because admitting guilt is NOT the weak behaviour of a King and secondly they will start and think that every accusation ever hurled at Zuma over the past 5 years could possibly be true too.
Think about GuptaGate, the Arms Deal, the fraud case involving Shabir Shaik, the de-throning of a previous Chief – Thabo Mbeki – and now stealing from us, his loyal supporters, at Nkandla too!
This will not be an option for Jacob Zuma – and certainly not an option for the ANC.
Sure, if everything gets a little too hectic after the election - once the people have voted in their tribal way (which is, at this stage in complete support of and belief in their leader) – should the ANC feel that their reputation may be tainted or that Zuma is a liability, they will do exactly what the Elders of a village would do…they will choose to replace their leader (exactly as they did with Thabo Mbeki). The new leader too will be ANC.
So, basically, it just will not do Zuma any good at all to admit he was wrong…no matter how massive the pile of evidence is.