Duduzane merely riding on his father’s legacy, say analysts

With all his baggage as a business associate of the controversial Guptas, jailed former president Jacob Zuma’s son Duduzane wants to be the president of the ANC and the country – a move that experts describe as “desperate” and “populist”.

Perhaps sensing that Zuma’s political heir apparent, Ace Magashule, could be in jail by the next ANC conference in 2022, the Zuma faction embarked on flying a kite – using a weak candidate.

Duduzane carried nothing else – neither an ideology, nor political clout; just the Zuma surname.

After Magashule was charged with corruption in connection with the R255-million asbestos saga while he was premier of the Free State, the faction had been struggling to find a leader.

Zuma introduced his son at various events – first at his previous corruption trial in Pietermaritzburg and later when he addressed a gathering of his supporters outside the gate of his Nkandla homestead in July.

The ANC required one to be a member for at least five years before being elected to office or be deployed from the party alliance partners, Cosatu and the SA Communist Party. But Duduzane had not served on any ANC structures or alliance allies. He merely rode on his father’s legacy.

Political analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga said Zuma’s son was desperate.

“I wonder if, morally speaking, Duduzane can actually say he stands for a better country. Is he in a position to make any
offering to the country, what will he be standing for and what will the ANC hope for to put his name forward? We know he had a closer relationship with the Guptas and that’s just about it,”

Mathekga said Ramaphosa’s opponents would automatically back the son, but doubted if ANC branches would accept him – except structures aligned to Zuma in KwaZulu-Natal.

“But then again, this is the ANC. Anything can happen in the ANC.”

Another analyst, Prof Barry Hanyane from North-West University, said Duduzane’s move was based on populism. It was, in essence, a recreation of a kind of American-style politicking where those who were popular, had financial means and had a following, were rewarded with the highest office in the land.

Hanyane said politics did not function the way Duduzane wished because even in America, artist Kanye West’s stunt to bid for the White House fell flat. Duduzane mistakenly assumed he would be the heir apparent to his father.

“Unfortunately, his father’s legacy is now being tested by various court cases in terms its legitimacy and the integrity of the former president,” Hanyane said.

The Zuma legacy Duduzane rode on was tainted and being questioned, not only by courts but the electorate at large.

“Has he managed to convince the ANC foot soldiers from regional all the way to national leaderships that he has what it takes to run the organisation? I think he will have serious problems there,” Hanyane said.

“Perhaps he was only testing waters and wanted to demonstrate that he had it when it came to risk management, politically speaking.

“It remains to be seen, but it’s one way of trying to fulfil an ambitious ideal whose time has not come yet,” Hanyane said.