Zuma showed what 'poverty of politics' means: COPE

Mandela‚ Mbeki and Motlanthe — names that lent so much dignity and respect to the office of the president. Zuma not so much.

The Congress of the People’s (COPE) Dennis Bloem on Thursday laid into President Jacob Zuma‚ whom he labelled as a “clown” following his performance in the National Assembly a day earlier.

“Zuma entertained the whole country free of charge‚ far better than any circus clown‚” the Cope spokesman said.

“Sadly‚ he showed what poverty of politics means. He made a laughing matter of serious issues like ethical behaviour and responsibility of leaders of government.”

Zuma told Parliament on Wednesday that the opposition’s “incessant” references to Nkandla “emphasises the poverty of politics in opposition parties“.

“Zuma is talking about political poverty. He is the biggest offender by far for impoverishing our politics. He has no capacity for engaging in serious discourse. He clowns and the ruling party MPs lap it up‚” said Bloem.

The Times reported on Thursday that Zuma‚ “indulging freely in his trademark giggle and wagging his elbows at his side‚ managed a dubious imitation of leader Mmusi Maimane”.

“There’s a broken president in a broken country ... you know. Jirrah!” the paper reported him as saying in “Maimane persona”.

Zuma’s police minister Nathi Nhleko – who‚ according to Bloem‚ is also a “clown” — added “to the farce” when he‚ at the last minute‚ cancelled a media conference on his long-awaited Nkandla report on Wednesday night.

“Looking at what is going on in Parliament presently‚ one can’t help thinking of former presidents (Nelson) Mandela‚ (Thabo) Mbeki and (Kgalame) Motlanthe‚ who lent so much dignity and respect to the office of president‚” said Bloem.

“Everybody looked forward to their addressing the house. We all had something to learn from them.

“Dignity and decorum of our Parliament have evaporated. President Zuma must take the blame.”