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Jacob ZumaCurrent President of the Republic of South Africa
Date of Birth: 12.04.1942
Country:  South Africa |
Content:
Biography of Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma, the current President of the Republic of South Africa, became the fourth political figure to hold this position since the fall of apartheid. Despite being involved in several scandals, including controversial statements against same-sex marriages while being a polygamist himself, as well as being accused of rape in 2005 (although the charges were later dropped), Zuma has risen to power and maintained his position as president.
Early Life and Education
Jacob Zuma was born in Zululand, now the province of KwaZulu-Natal, and belongs to the Zulu ethnic group. He grew up without a father, who was a police officer and died in the line of duty. Zuma did not receive any formal education beyond grade five and had to drop out of school. His childhood was marked by constant moves from Zululand to the suburbs of Durban.
Political Career
Zuma began his political life at a young age. In 1959, he joined the African National Congress (ANC) party, and in 1963, he became a member of the South African Communist Party. A few months later, Zuma, along with 45 other members of the South African Communist Party, was arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison for attempting to overthrow the government. While in prison, Zuma met leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Robben Island.
After his release, Zuma, along with other ANC members, participated in the creation of underground structures in the province of Natal. In 1975, he left the country and settled in Swaziland before moving to Mozambique. In 1977, Zuma became a member of the ANC's National Executive Committee and held various positions within the party, including Deputy Chief Representative in Mozambique and eventually becoming the Chief Representative in 1984. However, in 1987, Zuma was forced to leave Mozambique due to pressure from local authorities and moved to Zambia, where he continued his involvement with the ANC's underground activities.
In 1990, with the lifting of the ban on the ANC, Zuma was one of the first to return from exile. Within a year, he was elected Deputy Secretary-General of the ANC. After the party's victory in the national elections, Zuma was appointed as a member of the Executive Committee for Economic Affairs and Tourism in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government. In 1999, he was appointed as the country's Deputy President, but in 2005, President Thabo Mbeki dismissed Zuma from his position due to a corruption scandal. It was revealed that Zuma had been involved in a $5 billion arms deal in 1999, with allegations that some of the money had been deposited into his accounts. Later, he faced charges of rape, which were also dropped due to insufficient evidence. In December 2007, the Supreme Court finally acquitted Zuma of all charges, including racketeering, money laundering, corruption, and fraud.
On May 6, 2009, Zuma was elected as the President of South Africa by a majority vote in parliament. Despite his controversial past, he has managed to maintain his position as the country's leader.
