[size=14pt]Jacob Zuma risks diplomatic embarrassment hours before meeting the Queen[/size]

Jacob Zuma, the South African president, has risked sparking a diplomatic row after he described the British as condescending imperialists - just hours before meeting the Queen.

By Laura Roberts
Published: 10:04AM GMT 03 Mar 2010


South Africa's President Jacob Zuma arrives with one of his wives, Thobeka Madiba Zuma Photo: REUTERS The 67 year-old accused the UK of feeling culturally superior - which he blamed on Britain's colonial past.

Mr Zuma, who will spend two nights at Buckingham Palace for an official state visit that begins today, is understood to be upset by recent reports of his colourful private life in the British press.

"Bear in mind that I'm a freedom fighter and I fought to free myself, also for my culture to be respected.

"And I don't know why they are continuing thinking that their culture is more superior than others, those who might have said so.

"I am very clear on these issues, I've not looked down upon any culture of anyone, and no one has been given an authority to judge others.

"The British have done that before, as they colonised us, and they continue to do this, and it's an unfortunate thing.

"If people want an engagement, I'm sure we will engage on that issue."

Mr Zuma's comments were published in an interview with South Africa's Independent newspaper group.

The polygamist president, who has three current wives, spoke out yesterday after arriving in Britain with his third and most recent spouse Thobeka Madiba, 38.

The couple are today due to be welcomed by the Queen at Horse Guards Parade before being taken by carriage to Buckingham Palace. This evening they will enjoy a state banquet at the palace.

As a member of the Zulu tribe Mr Zuma is permitted to take multiple wives, but was last month forced to make a public apology after admitting he fathered a love child following an affair with the daughter of a friend.

The African National Congress leader might have hoped the visit to London would help move public attention away from his private life.

A schedule for this week includes meetings with Gordon Brown and opposition leaders David Cameron and Nick Clegg in addition to a speech to MPs in parliament.

Officials today confirmed Mr Zuma intended to continue with the state visit as planned.

His spokesman Vincent Magwenya said the president's comments about the British would have no bearing on the trip.

He said: "Mr Zuma is in the UK for wide-ranging programme of substantial and serious issues.

"The comments he made were not aimed at the British public in general but at certain sections of the media which have lambasted him for what he considers to be his culture.

"Mr Zuma had a meeting with British journalists yesterday and was asked not one question about his private life.

"He does not appreciate reading things which he considers are patronising to his culture.

"Obviously his comments will have no bearing on the state visit.

"Mr Zuma is greatly looking forward to meeting the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh today and will continue with the full programme as planned."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/theroyalfamily/7358378/Jacob-Zuma-risks-diplomatic-embarrassment-hours-before-meeting-the-Queen.html

Maybe if his "reputation" did not preceed him he would be more welcomed.

People look down upon a man that have unprotected sex with a HIV positive kid and have 20 kids AND 3 wives.


Lets keep it real.

ZUMA will be looked at CRAZY in the years to come.

He is NOT a good African presidential standard.

^
Agreed, he will have to carry out the verbal preemptive strike in all countries he visits from now on.

The man is just a disgrace, you can almost see his "Julius" in his latest marriage pic below;

[img]https://www.nairaland.com/attachments/216295_Jacob-Zuma-performs-a-hig-001_jpg2d22a36bbadaefdd1f5077bb1fd313b5[/img]

The bottom line is British media and its people are racists cun.ts who will do anything to prove that blacks let alone South Africans are backwards people.Yes Zuma made his mistakes especially by sleeping with a infacted woman without a protection, but our country has long been a target by this racists for years.Even during Mandela's time as a president.Mbeki presidence experience the same reporting.

Not forgeting the leading role the British media took in the negative campaign against the hosting of world cup in South Africa.This wet dog smelling cun.ts are racist to their bones.I don't give a sh.it anymore about what they are saying ,and most South Africans knows that the best way to deal with a racists is to live your life to the fullest and do your best in everything you do.In other words prove this cun.ts wrong and that we can do better than them.

ALL world cup stadiums are ready 3 months before the kick off,this is a first in the world cup history.In Germany they where still building this time around,but no one will never point this one out.
There are 11 million visitors to South Africa every year mainly from europe and america and nothing happens to them.BUT they will report about crime as if the country is out of order or ungovernable.Economy is growing and politicaly the country is very stable but they will never report on it.UK is our biggest trading partner but they will tell everybody who care to listen that South Africa is moving backward.

I HATE BRITISH WITH PASSION,I WILL SPIT ON ANY FIRST BRITISH I MEET WHEN I LEAVE MY OFFICE NOW!

@RSA
You are a proud African!!!, I wish Nigerians can be this proud

The bottom line is British media and its people are racists cun.ts who will do anything to prove that blacks let alone South Africans are backwards people.Yes Zuma made his mistakes especially by sleeping with a infacted woman without a protection, but our country has long been a target by this racists for years.Even during Mandela's time as a president.Mbeki presidence experience the same reporting.

Not forgeting the leading role the British media took in the negative campaign against the hosting of world cup in South Africa.This wet dog smelling cun.ts are racist to their bones.I don't give a sh.it anymore about what they are saying ,and most South Africans knows that the best way to deal with a racists is to live your life to the fullest and do your best in everything you do.In other words prove this cun.ts wrong and that we can do better than them.

ALL world cup stadiums are ready 3 months before the kick off,this is a first in the world cup history.In Germany they where still building this time around,but no one will never point this one out.
There are 11 million visitors to South Africa every year mainly from europe and america and nothing happens to them.BUT they will report about crime as if the country is out of order or ungovernable.Economy is growing and politicaly the country is very stable but they will never report on it.UK is our biggest trading partner but they will tell everybody who care to listen that South Africa is moving backward.

I HATE BRITISH WITH PASSION,I WILL SPIT ON ANY FIRST BRITISH I MEET WHEN I LEAVE MY OFFICE NOW!

and I agree with this also.

Meh, I dont know the Pres. of South Africa doesnt have that much credability himself. I dont know, maybe he should talk first and then say his peace instead of stirring up trouble 

zuma the polygamist, soon he'll be courting a brtisih gal soon, the british government should just give him another wife, to further solidarity ties between uk and south africa

I always wondered whether the britsh treated its other colonies/territories/? in africa the same way as south africa, it seems like for some reason they got the rawest deal out of everybody,

9jawear:

zuma the polygamist, soon he'll be courting a brtisih gal soon, the british government should just give him another wife, to further solidarity ties between uk and south africa

Polygamy is one of our culture as Africans,and yes is a choice,no one is forced to practise this part of our culture.Zuma is not bleeping Queen or any of her servent,and as a proud Zulu I even doubt he find their woman attractive .Skinny,dog smelling when they're wet pink creatures

Bottom line is our way of life should not be defined by the standard set by a certain people,who think they're way is the only civilised way.Zuma told the British this,he told them to live their Britishness and we will live our way.

We builded five new stadiums, renoveted five in four years and it took the British the same years to build Wembley,but they have the courage to point our third world status,just to pleases their superiority ego.

FUCCK THE BRITISH is my new slogan

Zuma's statement to me is a little unfortunate. He is trying to link 2 separate arguments in order to make a silly one. No doubt the British press has written several ridiculous and misleading things about him. More so they have not respected his privacy and misrepresented his person. But guess what, this is what British tabloids do to sell papers. There really is no evidence to allege imperialism or otherwise. This is the same British press that has written all sorts of crap about Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi because of his many mistresses, the same British press that has also written even more outrageous things about John Terry's (former England captain) private life because of his affair with an ex-girlfriend of his team-mate. There numerous other instances where they have written unfair stuff about other public personailities. The point is that the tabloid nature of the British press will always lead them to look for what they consider to be odd and controversial stories and then proceed to write all sort of outrageous stuff to sell papers. Was it racism or imperialism that caused them to write all sort of things about Berlusconi? No. So I would say to Zuma that while he has been treated unfairly, his treatment by the press has less to do with colonialism or imperialism than he thinks. It about generating controversy to sell papers. Simple. No need to start making more complex arguments.

^^Still fucck their Queen and all her servants,pink azz mudafucckers

RSA:

^^Still fucck their Queen and all her servants,pink azz mudafucckers

Lol They appreciate the bolded part! I wonder how thier queen's ass will look like in the dark of the night!

i agree with @RSA the british are known worldwide for their racism and hypocrisy, so what if Zuma decides he wants to marry 20 wives - if this is permissible in his culture why should it become their problem, the british are not in a position to question anyones moral standing because their country is one of the most morally bankrupt countries in the western world, why dont they focus on the fact that they have the highest number of teenage mothers in western europe, or that so many of their youth carry STD's because of how immoral their society is, its currently so bad here that they are currently running an STD prevention campaign where they actually BRIBE young people with booze in order to come forward for testing.  Chlamydia (an STD with no symptoms) almost rose to epidemic levels amongst young people btwn the ages of  18-25 to the extent that the govt had to launch a massive awareness campaign directed at this particular group which is ongoing.    Remember that this is also a country where marriage is now becoming more of a novelty as opposed to a norm, data published by the Office for National Statistics showed that in 2007, 44.4 per cent of live births were outside marriage in this country - IMAGINE that almost 50% of children being born in this country are born OUTSIDE marriage - what does that tell you about where the british are headed?

so i think you can see that these people should be more concerned about the moral collapse of their decadent society rather than trying to demonise a man who openly admits to being a polygamist.

If it's his culture, then leave him alone. It doesn't affect anyone does it? He respect his culture and it was what he was brought up on. The Brits are saying China is seating on Tibet while they are seating on Scotland. What a bunch of hypocrites. I know the ideology. It was from a russian psychologist. If you are and your enemy are doing something bad, be the first to point fingers and let your fingers be seen the most. The brit went again monarchy but the queen is still seating on Canada, England and Scotland. The queen is still the head of state in Canada. Seriously I think people need to check who is pointing fingers first before checking who the fingers are pointing to.