PRESIDENT Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma never ceases to update history. Well, at least he keeps turning the wheels of his past to shape his present. And what a way to begin February!

Charismatic, a chequered past, South African President Zuma, who recently married his third wife Thobeka Madiba Zuma, is yet again in the news – the usual suspect. This time, admitting paternity of Sonono Khoza's child. Sonono is the daughter of powerful soccer administrator and long-time friend, Irvin Khoza. Cast into a different political persona by former president Thabo Mbeki's intellectual arrogance and failure to manage change, President Zuma's misdemeanors are always forgotten. So when his statement email popped up in my mailbox confirming his son, it was no surprise.

Here is what President Zuma’s statement read: “I have noted recent media reports about aspects of my personal life. I have noted too that these reports have been the subject of much discussion in the public arena by various organisations and people from all walks of life.

I have therefore decided, after some careful deliberation, to make public comment on a matter that is otherwise intensely personal. I had been out of the country when this matter arose.
I confirm that I have a relationship and a baby with Ms Sonono Khoza. I said during World Aids Day that we must all take personal responsibility for our actions. I have done so. I have done the necessary cultural imperatives in a situation of this nature, for example the formal acknowledgement of paternity and responsibility, including the payment of inhlawulo to the family. The matter is now between the two of us, and culturally, between the Zuma and Khoza families.

It is unfortunate that the individuals concerned have been unfairly subjected to harsh media exposure merely because of the position that I occupy. Our Constitution and our laws require us to protect children from harmful public exposure. The Constitution states that it is inappropriate to place at risk, the child’s well-being, physical or mental health, spiritual, moral or social development.

Both the Child Care Act and the new Children’s Act also provides for the protection of children from exploitation. The naming of the child’s parents has essentially exposed her to the public, which has serious implications in the long-term for her, and amounts to the exploitation referred to in the Act, because the media is making money out of the matter.
The media is also in essence questioning the right of the child to exist and fundamentally, her right to life. It is unfortunate that the matter has been handled in this way. I sincerely hope that the media will protect the rights of children.

Much has been made of the government’s policy on HIV and AIDS and this relationship. It is mischievous to argue that I have changed or undermined government’s stance on the HIV and AIDS campaign. I will not compromise on the campaign. Rather, we will intensify our efforts to promote prevention, treatment, research and the fight against the stigma, attached to the epidemic. We will also continue with our campaign to ensure that every South African knows their HIV status, and that all those who need it have access to appropriate treatment.

We respect and uphold the freedom of the media. It is one of the freedoms we fought for, and which we will always defend. However, the President of the Republic, the mother and the baby are also entitled to the rights afforded to all South Africans in the Constitution. These rights cannot be waived just because of a position one occupies.
I would request that the dignity and privacy of the affected individuals in this matter be respected,” stated President Zuma.

Then the ANC Youth League sent another statement saying: “The ANC Youth League welcomes the statement of the ANC and country President Jacob Zuma on his issues that really are private. We believe that the media will not continue with the sensationalism around the whole issue. The ANC YL will not be agreeing to discuss private issues of elders in the public discourse, and hope that it is now a closed chapter. In line with what is said above, the ANC YL will not take any media enquiries concerning the private life of the President of the ANC and country, whom we hold in high regard, and applauds his unquestionable commitment to bettering livelihoods of all people. The chapter is closed.”

No! I think the chapter is not closed as the ANC YL is suggesting.
One thing is clear, this is not the last time you will hear from President Zuma being a true ‘father of the nation’. After all his comrades see nothing wrong in President Zuma entering into matrimony in line with African customary and traditional practice. In fact President Zuma defended his polygamous actions eloquently at the World Economic Forum recently.

I have stated before that you need to understand President Zuma. He is no ordinary South African. He seems to be a man of many lives.
President Zuma's views about virginity testing, sex, post-coital shower and HIV/AIDS are a reflection of a deep-seated Zulu machohood many pseudo-modern 'chongololo' South Africans would want to cast behind.

President Zuma never ceases to amaze people. Remember his admittance in court during his rape trial that he had unprotected sex with an HIV-positive woman?
His wives still remained cool, calm and collected! President Zuma's observation was that his accuser had signaled she wanted to have sex with him by wearing a knee-length skirt, and sat with uncrossed legs - something that earned him a bashing from women's rights groups - but defence from his wives - that President Zuma was warm, jolly and caring.

There are lessons to be learnt from President Zuma or we are reminded once again, that we must never tamper with the collective freedom of President Zuma.

To others though, President Zuma is an unashamed Zulu traditionalist who, not only lives according to what his culture dictates, but also embraces western culture, complete with its rich trappings.
Maybe South Africans ought to cherish that their President, who will be handing over the FIFA World Cup this year, has a great sense of African culture and ubuntu- very strong ingredients for an African renaissance agenda that is non-eurocentric.

His popularity among poor South Africans is insurmountable and still undiminished. Millions of languishing South Africans see Zuma as one of their own. It’s just a question of how long it will last.
To some, he brings hope of a new pro-poor people strategy unwilling to wait for trickle-down benefits from senseless statistics of economic growth and stability. With a bewildering variety influence, people are rallying behind him despite actions.

To ordinary South Africans, President Zuma is not a silent conduit of Southern Africa's capital to the western metropoles of London and New York.
In President Zuma, people feel he is balancing the evil forces of capitalist and imperialist greed and is more concerned about workers than the economy.

They see him as one that abhors crass materialism and promoting leadership that will seek to liberate its own people from oozing poverty and not recite pseudo capitalist agenda for self-aggrandisement! Workers and the populace see him as one that will defy the wholesale focus on neo-liberalism!
In him, people know that they would not be left to the whims of market forces while doing away with out-of-touch-with-the-people policies - Mbeki's error.

The modicum of intellectual depth in Zuma is anybody's guess, but one thing is clear; what he lacks in education, President Zuma makes up for by being a man of the people. Even Madiba confessed that President Zuma is a great listener.
Again, this is not the last time you are hearing from him or about him.