Monday, 28 November 2011

South African president Zuma to give keynote speech on World AIDS day

It will be interesting to hear what South Africa´s president Jacob Zuma will say in his "keynote speech" on the World AIDS Day, to be celebrated in Port Elizabeth on December 1.




A few years ago the same Zuma - then head of South Africa´s Aids Council - had this to say:

"It would minimise the risk of catching the disease"
Jacob Zuma
(During his rape trial in 2006, explaining to the Johannesburg High Court why he took a shower after having sex with an HIV-positive woman. infection.)


Jacob Zuma, a polygamist with 20 children, is now revered as an international statesman. Here he is posing with Finnnish president Tarja Halonen, who together with him is a co-hair of the UN's High Level Panel on Global Sustainability

PS
Before Zuma was elected president he had to face a number of significant legal challenges. Here is the BBC´s timeline:

June 2005: Sacked as deputy president

October 2005: Charged with corruption

December 2005: Charged with rape

April 2006: Acquitted of rape charges

September 2006: Corruption case collapses

December 2007: Elected ANC president; then re-charged

September 2008: Judge rules corruption case cannot proceed

January 2009: Prosecutors win appeal

6 April 2009: Prosecutors drop case citing phone-tap evidence

(More details on this BBC page)

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