As a branch of government, the courts must naturally be accountable for the exercise of their power. The means of achieving their accountability must be balanced against their necessary independence.
By positioning himself as a loveable granddad to supporters and the punchline of a joke to his opposition, Zuma adroitly defangs the very serious charges against him.
The dilemma for Zuma and his legal team is this: by putting him on the witness stand, there is a risk that he would be found wanting, especially in terms of the detail of any matter.
Trump and Zuma seek to sell explanations of their misfortunes to the socially insecure and economically vulnerable. To an alarming extent they succeed.
South Africans may well be seduced by the prospect of Zuma appearing at the Zondo commission, but he was not alone in driving the state capture project.
Jacob Zuma’s religious utterances present a conundrum for scholars, as many poor South African Christians support his moral claims and celebrated his ill-gotten riches.
Ramaphosa offered five simple yet bold goals for the next ten years that cut across the social and economic structural constraints that inhibit South Africa’s potential.
The election will not change the government, but may change the balance of power between the two factions of the governing ANC, led by Cyril Ramaphosa and Jacob Zuma.