'Even if you straighten your hair, you will never be white' - Zuma
Jacob Zuma claims there is a new
generation of young Africans who are trying to adopt other lifestyles
and even trying to look like others
President Jacob Zuma delivered a
controversial speech in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday, during which he
lambasted young black people.
There was a new generation of young
Africans who were trying to adopt other lifestyles and even trying to
look like others, he said.
“Even if you apply any kind of lotion and straighten your hair you will never be white,” Zuma said.
Instead, a person lost dignity and
ubuntu, and was also likely to lose respect and love for his fellow
human beings, Zuma charged.
He said black people should stop adopting the habits of other cultures.
As he talked, the audience of thousands –
attending the annual commemoration of the induction of Inkosi
Sibongiseni Zuma – laughed and applauded.
It was Jacob Zuma’s first public appearance since being re-elected ANC president in Mangaung a week ago.
Amongst other things, Zuma described people who loved dogs more than people as “having a lack of humanity”.
He claimed that spending money on buying
a dog, taking it to the vet and for walks belonged to white culture and
was not the African way.
On marital problems, Zuma said families should resolve issues instead of running to religious leaders.
In future, Zuma said, every December 18
there would be a gathering in KwaNxamalala, near Impendle, where the
youth would be educated about the importance of preserving African
culture.
“We normally have this day (the
commemoration) on December 26; from next year we are going to bring it
forward to December 18. We need to use it to correct each other and
protect our culture,” he said.
The president showered residents with gifts including groceries, wheelchairs, blankets and lawnmowers.
One family was given a four-roomed house and a bed.
Reacting to Zuma's comments on pets,
National SPCA spokeswoman Christine Kuch said she could not comment on
Zuma’s statement as she had not heard him speak, but added that many
South Africans felt deep compassion for their animals.
“We cannot have compassion for animals if we do not have compassion for children and the elderly,” she said.
Kuch said care given to animals, in most cases, benefited people.
“If donkeys are better cared for, they
are in better condition to carry water or carry a child to school; when
dogs are taken to vets for vaccination, it protects people. Caring for
an animal and a person goes together.”
Zuma is known for making controversial
comments. Just recently, in an SABC3 television interview in August, he
said it was “not right” for women to be single and that having children
provided them with “extra training”.
He was speaking about his daughter
Duduzile’s marriage, saying: “I wouldn’t want to stay with daughters who
are not getting married. You’ve got to have kids. Kids are important to
a woman because they actually give an extra training to a woman, to be a
mother”.
Source: The Mercury
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