Duduzane Zuma wants to be the next president

FORMER president Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane wants to be the next president.

In a conversation with YouTuber and podcast host Penuel the Black Pen, Zuma made it clear that he was not a politician.

“I’m not a politician. I'm a businessman. This is what I've done my whole life. I understand there's a need to get involved in politics because these things happen in our country, and we need to take advantage of this opportunity that's been created for us to play a high-level game. So that's why I'm getting involved in politics. I don't want to be called a politician, because that comes with its own stigma. I'm a businessman who's just trying to make a difference in life,” said Zuma.

He said that in 2020, he told his father that he wanted to be involved in politics.

Zuma said that year, the ANC’s January 8 statement event, where the party celebrates its birthday in Kimberly, came at a time when there were reports that he was a fugitive.

He said attending the celebrations was like entering a lions’ den, and when he arrived, the place was shaken up.

He said later at the ANC gala dinner, he was joined by Justice and Correctional Service Minister Ronald Lamola.

“I said ‘minister, I heard that you were looking for me’,” said Zuma.

He said he had been falsely arrested, and that was embarrassing.

“I got falsely arrested. My question is, why is no one talking about it? My life was completely embarrassed on a global platform because, you know, they're trying to paint this picture,” he said.

Zuma said his name had been tarnished.

“I’ve had to fight a hostile media. I've had to fight a hostile judicial process. And I believe in the rule of law in this country, but I can see there are certain things that were done that were out of turn,” he said.

Zuma said there was a generation that was hungry to get involved.

“I just happen to be at the forefront, and I'm blessed. I'm honoured to be at the forefront. We need more people to jump on board.

“It's going to happen, and all I'm saying is that when it does, I'll be proud to say that I was at the beginning of this concept called change with young people arising,” he said.

Zuma, who still has no bank account in South Africa, said he had been surviving by surrounding himself with good people.

“I don't have a South African bank account. I haven't had one since 2015,” said Zuma.

He said that made him feel like he was rowing.

“I'm able to survive without being part of a financial system. You know, it was unfairly shut down, but it is what it is. Life is full of trials and tribulations. You've got to know how to survive. So I'm still here. I'm still doing something right, and we will see how it goes from here on,” he said.

Zuma said he was sidelined without justification.

“I did ask; I sent some emails, and I asked, what is the situation? And what's the reason for closure? And the two reasons that they give are reputational risk and that they reserve the right, which is neither here nor there for me, especially since I have done nothing wrong. I've been accused of a lot of things. I've stood my ground; I've had my day in court, as they say, and I've come out, and I'm still here.

“The reasoning from my side is that they are not good enough. I can say that there are people who have been convicted of crazy crimes; some are sitting in prison, but they got their little bank cards; the little accounts have no reputation and pose zero reputational risk. I'm talking about rapists, serial murderers, you name them, they have bank accounts,” Zuma said.

He said he should be enjoying his constitutional right to be economically active in the country.

“I'm not the only one. I think there are other people that feel the same way, and it's something that drives me, and where we are going, these matters are going to be dealt with, from a policy perspective, because it's not on,” Zuma said.

He said he would like to enjoy the freedoms everyone else enjoyed without being painted in any sort of negative light.

“I will get my clarity. I will get my day. I'm going to win this battle. There's no doubt about it. But I don't want people campaigning for me in my name. I want people to campaign for the rights and freedoms of the truth, because, like I say, there have been people that haven't enjoyed having a bank account or being active in the banking system like I have, for whatever reasons,” he said.

The Star