President Jacob Zuma’s son Edward has read former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela the riot act, saying she “should either become a full-time politician or just shut up”.<\/p>\n
It appears as though Madonsela’s comments on her preferred candidate to succeed his father have riled the president’s eldest son.<\/p>\n
“It is either she decides to be a politician full time or just shut up,” a livid Zuma said, responding to Madonsela’s statements made during a Cape Town Press Club function on Monday.<\/p>\n
During the event Madonsela, who left office of the Public Protector in October and was currently on a fellowship at Harvard University, was asked if she would consider becoming the next president.<\/p>\n
“I am neither qualified to be president nor interested in that job,” she said.<\/p>\n
Madonsela went on to say that South Africa deserved a good president.<\/p>\n
‘Insult’ to Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma<\/strong><\/p>\n She said she hoped that the next president would be one that built a united South Africa.<\/p>\n “Should he be a male, should she be a female…I would love it to be a female but I would hate to have a female that is a proxy, because that would be worse than having a man,” Madonsela said.<\/p>\n An irate Zuma said: “She is rude. She would love to see a female South African president but it should not be a proxy, clearly she is insulting uNkosazana [Dlamini-Zuma].”<\/p>\n Zuma said he was offended by Madonsela’s remarks.<\/p>\n “She was addressing a white dominated gathering in Cape Town, she is a proxy herself.”<\/p>\n He said it was well known that Dlamini-Zuma was the preferred female candidate to succeed Zuma. If Dlamini-Zuma, who had the support of the ANC Women’s League, were to succeed in her candidacy, she would likely go head-to-head with Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa for the top position. However, the party has yet to officially open the succession debate.<\/p>\n Current Public Protector ‘undermined’<\/strong><\/p>\n “My interest is the ANC, clearly the female candidate is known, it is Nkosazana, we all know that. Obviously if she says she does not want a president who is a proxy, she is referring to her, whose proxy is Nkosazana?”<\/p>\n He questioned the CX report that Madonsela touched on during the briefing.<\/p>\n “That investigation is still in the office of the Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane. She is basically undermining Busisiwe, the current Public Protector.”<\/p>\n Zuma wondered who Madonsela was trying to impress.<\/p>\n Madonsela could not be reached for comment after repeated attempts.<\/p>\n