Is this the beginning of the end for Zuma?

President Jacob Zuma (Picture: Sapa)

A series of setbacks in beleaguered President Jacob Zuma's battle against corruption allegations has sparked fresh speculation that he could be forced out of office.

Controversy over millions of dollars of taxpayers' money spent on his Nkandla home and the dropping of graft charges against him, returned to haunt Zuma with renewed force over the past week.

On Thursday he lost a five-year court battle to keep secret the so-called "spy tapes" that got him off the hook on more than 700 charges of fraud and corruption in 2009, shortly before he became president.

The Supreme Court of Appeal ordered that the tapes, which allegedly showed political interference in the prosecution process, be released to the DA within five days.

This could possibly lead to the charges against him being reinstated.

On the same day, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela told a news conference she would press ahead with demands that Zuma refund some of the R246m spent on "security upgrades" at his private home.

That amount of money would buy several mansions in the best suburbs in Johannesburg or on the beachfront in Cape Town, and Madonsela's report on the issue sparked widespread outrage.

'Pay back the money'-

This took its most visible form last week when Zuma hedged his answers on the scandal in Parliament, leading to chaotic scenes as EFF members jumped to their feet and yelled repeatedly: "Pay back the money!"

That unprecedented outburst was described by veteran commentator Allister Sparks as "a catalytic event that is going to have a transformative impact on our national politics.

"It could well mark the beginning of the end of Zuma's presidency," Sparks wrote in his syndicated column.

He was not alone in this assessment.

"Are we building up to the removal of President Jacob Zuma?" asked an editorial in The Times on Friday.

The paper referred to the ousting by the ANC of former president Thabo Mbeki from its leadership in 2007, which paved the way for Zuma to take over the presidency.

Business Day said the ruling on the tapes was an opportunity for the ANC to "consider having a discussion with Zuma over an exit strategy - he is too much of a liability".

Mysterious visit

While all this was going on, Zuma was on a mysterious week-long trip to Russia, where his only major engagement was a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

Although the trip was billed as a bid to promote trade, none of the relevant ministers travelled with him, and he was said to be having "rest periods".

Zuma's health has also been under scrutiny. In June he was hospitalised for two days for fatigue and tests before taking a week off.

But Zuma has weathered storms before, earning the sobriquet "Teflon president" - nothing sticks - for having remained in office despite all the allegations against him.

And there could still be long legal battles ahead, with analysts cautioning that the appeal court's decision on the "spy tapes" would not necessarily lead to the reinstatement of the corruption charges against him.

But if he is seen as a liability by his own party, which has retained power with a reduced majority in May's election, he could be ousted - as Zuma ousted Mbeki - through an internal leadership election.

At only 25 years of age Thuthukile Zuma became the youngest chief of staff of a minister’s office ever appointed in South Africa.

The appointment of Thuthukile Xolile Nomonde Zuma, the daughter of President Jacob Zuma, as the chief of staff in the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services raised eyebrows in South Africa recently.

At only 25 years of age Thuthukile Zuma became the youngest chief of staff of a minister’s office ever appointed in South Africa.

Thuthukile Zuma was born on 28 April 1989, and is the youngest of president Jacob Zuma’s four daughters with ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

She matriculated from Westerford High School in December 2006. In 2011 she graduated from Wits University with a BA in anthropology, and followed it up with an honours degree at the same institution at 2012.

In 2013 she joined the ministry of state security as a public liaison officer (age 24). In May 2014 she was appointed as the chief of staff in the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services at the age of 25.

Very fast professional rise

Many people questioned Thuthukile Zuma’s rise from an entry-level position of public liaison officer to chief of staff – earning nearly R1 million annually – in only one year.

The Mail & Guardian reported that this meteoric rise “raised concerns about political nepotism at the renamed Department of Telecommunications and Postal services”.

The new minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services, Siyabonga Cwele, was also the minister of state security where Thuthukile Zuma previously worked.

Thuthukile Zuma versus other ministerial chiefs of staff

MyBroadband selected a few ministerial chiefs of staff from other departments to see how their age and qualifications compare with that of Thuthukile Zuma.

What we found was that all of the surveyed chiefs of staff had a tertiary education, and were all between the ages of 40 and 65 (except for Thuthukile Zuma).

Ages of Government Department Chiefs of Staff

Thuthukile Zuma versus other graduates

To assess how Thuthukile Zuma’s professional progress compares with other BA Hons in anthropology graduates in South Africa, MyBroadband looked at the current positions of some of her peers.

To protect their privacy, the identities of people listed in the infographic below are not exposed. Market related salaries were used for their current positions.

Employment levels and annual salaries of 2012 BA Hons graduates

Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services explains

MyBroadband asked the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services whether Thuthukile Zuma was the best choice available for the position of chief of staff.

MyBroadband also asked the department how Thuthukile Zuma was able to gain the needed experience to become chief of staff so fast.

Department spokesperson Siyabulela Qoza said that her contract appointment in the ministry was consistent with the rules and regulations governing the appointment of people in government ministries.

“She holds an honours degree. Ms Zuma has worked with the Minister before. The Minister only considered her capacity to the job and her qualifications. Her genealogy was never a consideration,” said Qoza.

“Ms Zuma, just like all citizens, enjoys the freedom to participate in any economic activity, including being employed in government or the private sector.”

South African Presidents Qualifications & BRICKS Leaders Qualifications - Worrying Trend 😏

You can comment, just give your thoughts about the importance of education to head a big organization or to be the leader of the country. 

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela is assessing complaint on 25 year old Zuma's daughter's Chief of Dept Position that gives her 1m a year managing 4.1m budget

Thuthukile Zuma (Picture: Facebook)

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela's office is assessing a complaint about the appointment of President Jacob Zuma's daughter to a top post in the telecommunications and postal services department, a spokesperson said on Friday.

"Once the assessment team has done its assessment of the complaint, it will be sent to her for a decision," Madonsela's spokesperson, Kgalalelo Masibi, said.

The assessment team would decide if Madonsela should investigate Thuthukile's appointment as the department's chief of staff.

The complaint was lodged on Tuesday but Masibi could not divulge the person's identity.

"The complainant is asking the protector to find out whether the post was advertised, how many people applied for the position, and which qualified candidates were rejected," she said.

"The complainant wants to know about the processes followed in the appointment, and whether she has the required qualification for the position."

Masibi said the complaint was based on a report by the Mail&Guardian newspaper last week that Thuthukile, 25, had landed the job and it appeared that the post was not advertised. She would earn almost R1m a year.

The newspaper reported that she previously worked with Telecommunications and Postal Services Minister Siyabonga Cwele at the State Security Agency, and followed him to her new post after the May elections.

She is the youngest of the president's four daughters with his ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, a former Cabinet minister who is currently African Union Commission chairperson.

Thuthukile has an honours degree in anthropology from the University of the Witwatersrand.

According to the 2014 Estimates of National Expenditure, the chief of staff will manage a R4.1m budget in the department.

The chief of staff post is seen as a powerful position, with the incumbent responsible for the overall management of staff and the office's budget.

The department's spokesperson, Siya Qoza, later told Sapa her appointment was consistent with the rules and regulations, and that the minister only considered her capacity to do the job and her qualifications.

"Her genealogy was never a consideration," he said at the time.