ALL HELL has broken loose in South Africa following an address by President Zuma who told Eastern Cape voters that only an ANC membership card would guarantee an automatic pass to heaven, adding that ANC supporters were blessed and that a vote for the opposition was one for the devil.
South African President Jacob Zuma, a political pigmy in comparison to Nelson Mandela
His remarks, according to this report, were immediately challenged by the opposition Democratic Alliance. DA spokeswoman Lindiwe Mazibuko said yesterday that Zuma should:
Apologise to all South Africans for his attempt to employ religious threats for political ends.
She added that ordinary South Africans “of all backgrounds and creeds will find the President’s comments offensive and unacceptable”. His words were “incendiary and dangerous”, in that they sought to mobilise along religious lines “and sow seeds of division in our communities”.
Mazibuko called Zuma’s statement:
An act of shameless political and religious blackmail, the sort of political skulduggery that may be the norm in autocracies, but should be anathema (in a) democracy.
Zuma’s remarks have also offended Christians, with African Christian Democratic Party President Kenneth Meshoe calling Zuma’s comments a disgrace and blasphemous, adding that
No angels would be wearing ANC colours. I am shocked to hear that the President would make such a ludicrous statement. It is disappointing to hear the head of state – who should be an example of integrity – choosing to be the laughing stock of the nation by being deceptive.
Eddie Makue, general secretary of the South African Council of Churches, said it was dangerous when politicians “use people’s fate to garner support”. He said not even a priest could provide this type of guarantee (of entering heaven)”.
Zuma’s remarks echoed his 2009 election campaign statements when he repeatedly told crowds the ANC would rule “until Jesus comes”.
More on this story here.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
February 7th, 2011 at 11:17 am
Isn’t this just religion fulfilling its purpose as a means of controlling the ignorant poor?
February 7th, 2011 at 11:33 am
This is the guy with five wives, rape charges, and a corruption scandal under his belt, right?
February 7th, 2011 at 11:47 am
What a nutcase and he is incharge of a country! This nation has many problems from poverty to child rape and witch doctors killing people for body parts let’s concentrate how he can improve the lifes of the living…fuck all this bullshit about heaven…
February 7th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
“Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.”
Seneca the Younger
February 7th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
Here we go again – another patronising African leader perpetuating the idea that black people are stupid, ignorant and superstitious and can be told any old nonsenese just as long as it keeps them happy. He should be ashamed of himself – but I bet he isn’t!
February 7th, 2011 at 2:02 pm
Zuma makes GW Bush look like Noam Chomsky.
February 7th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
A daring move but a clever one. Like Michele Bachmann in the US, when asked if she would run for President replied that she would only run if God told her to thus ensuring that every vote against her would be against God. Unfortunately, we know that thanks to evangelical preachers in the US and in Africa, many people will believe this.
February 7th, 2011 at 2:59 pm
I really find it sad that there are enough people there that would believe this schite. Even when at my most devote stage as a cat-lick I never bought into the ‘we are the blessed, everyone else is damned’ mime. I could always see very nice wonderful people on the ‘doomed’ side and very nasty people on the ‘blessed’ side. Maybe that was my start up the hill to atheism. Thinking is always ‘up hill’ as it requires effort and work, faith is always down hill cuz you just turn your mind off and coast.
February 7th, 2011 at 3:03 pm
In 1775 Samuel Johnson declared that “patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” These days, I’m sure the same could easily be said of religion.
February 7th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Patriotism/religion, very often two sides to the same card.
February 7th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
“Thinking is always ‘up hill’ as it requires effort and work, faith is always down hill cuz you just turn your mind off and coast.”
Well said, L. Long.
I must say I find it rather humorous to consider how many people who are so offended at this man’s ‘blasphemy’ must be believers. So why do they find it so absurd that god talked to yet one more person to give some guarantees, like their holy book says he did all the time?
February 7th, 2011 at 6:03 pm
LOL, he’s doing it wrong. The trick isn’t to tell people they’re going to heaven for voting for him but to claim to be on god’s side while his opponent is on the side of the devil. Religion and politics have been doing this little dance for power for years. They’re very much intertwined. Since we were nothing but scattered tribes the tribal leader and the mystic have both used their “authority” to control their flocks of sheeple. This guy just did it a little too overtly. Bad move, I hope it blows up in his face… and I hope at least a few people realize that if it’s appalling when he says it, it’s just as bad when the preacher says the same thing.
February 7th, 2011 at 6:09 pm
Christian: One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbour. One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not inconsistent with a life of sin.
Ambrose Bierce.
February 7th, 2011 at 10:53 pm
Reminds me of “Salvation or your money back” Hopefully the South Africans won’t fall for this scam.
February 8th, 2011 at 2:31 am
The promise reminds me very much of the seventy virgins awaiting Muslim martyrs. I had some virgins, and not only did they have no idea how to make it a shared pleasure experience, there was discomfort and some bleeding involved, so good luck to them with that.
And we accomplished it, the US Congress overrode Reagan’s presidential veto of a bill that pressured the UK’s plantation owners out of South Africa. Apartheid was over. Seemed like a great idea. Now we have assholes selling heaven for the price of a vote. Do you suppose, maybe, that before handing the government to the populace, it might be wise to educate a few of them on how to operate it?
Endless human comedy.
NeoWolfe
February 8th, 2011 at 11:03 am
This is also the man who told the nation he protects himself from HIV by he having a cold shower after sex.
The same government that denies HIV causes AIDS.
The same government whose health minister cum witchdoctor advises garlic as a cure for AIDS.
They’re like a religion the way they’re f*ing with people’s lives.
February 8th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Not allowed to comment here, what with being a white south african male of over 40 years old.
February 9th, 2011 at 1:38 am
Mike,
The truth is, you are probably the most qualified to render an objective opinion. Democracy doesn’t even work in the US, yet we seem obligated to enforce it upon the planet.
Human comedy.
NeoWolfe
February 20th, 2011 at 4:41 am
You all are saying it wrong. He is the devil and take SA to hell
February 23rd, 2011 at 1:57 pm
Zuma is just another moron. That is exactly why we left SA in the first place. Anyone with half a brain knows that the way he talks, is indicative of yet another idiot who is trying to bamboozle his ‘subjects’ into thinking that him becoming the next African dictator would be cool…
He is a moronic, cowardly idiot and has only his own interests at heart.
He is a rapist and terrorist.