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Jacob Zuma: Owning a Dog Is Not African ‘black people with pets are just copying white culture’
He is not afraid to voice controversial opinions on anything from same-sex marriage to teenage pregnancy.
But now South African president Jacob Zuma has taken the bizarre step of warning black Africans against owning a dog.
President Zuma said that owning and walking a dog, and even taking one to the vet, were not African activities, and was just copying white culture.
The president, 70, who faces investigation by the country’s anti-corruption watchdog over an upgrade to his country home, is a proud Zulu and adheres to traditional practices – including polygamy. He has six wives and believed to have fathered 20 children.
Speaking at an event in KwaZulu-Natal province, he described people who love dogs more than humans as ‘having a lack of humanity’, Durban newspaper The Mercury reports
President Zuma reportedly told an audience of black South Africans on Wednesday to stop adopting the habits of other cultures. ‘Even if you apply any kind of lotion and straighten your hair you will never be white,’ he said.
Some black South Africans responded to Mr Zuma’s latest comments by posting photos of themselves being ‘un-African’ by walking their dogs on Twitter, according to the Telegraph.
Mr Zuma reportedly said earlier this year that it was ‘not right’ for women to be single and has endorsed traditional courts in South Africa in the past.
The Telegraph reports Mr Zuma’s office as saying that the message of his speech ‘was the need to decolonise the African mind post-liberation.’
‘This is not to say that animals should not be loved or cared for. The message merely emphasised the need not to elevate our love for our animals above our love for other human beings,’ said the statement.
Mr Zuma is expected to spend at least another five years as President of South Africa after he was re-elected leader of his party, the ANC, earlier this month.
DailymailUK
Posted by
Kaysis
December 28, 2012 at 8:45 am
The man has a point. And a rather sharp one at that.
Dre
December 28, 2012 at 9:25 am
Dude has a point; own pets if you want, you gata treat a fellow human with more dignity than a dog…and, point blank, that human life is more precious than a pets!
Mutototo 2
December 28, 2012 at 9:33 am
Yes you’re right Mr Zuma nothing is more precious than human life.
Umupandapwiti
December 28, 2012 at 10:03 am
Ba Zuma chipubafye. Why doesn’t he wear Umubinde rather than pants. Moreover, humans are animals.
Wanu Ngwee
December 28, 2012 at 10:24 am
Mr. Zuma, that makes the two of us. I also can never understand why any human being should love a Dog more than a fellow human; they drive with them in the front seat of their vans while their domestic worker gets soaked in rainy weather or burn out in then open van at the back. They rush them to expensive vets while not doing anything for their sick workers. They buy them Santa’s clothes and toys yet hundreds of oorphans do without, what’s strange about Zuma’s remarks ????
RAS
December 28, 2012 at 10:45 am
Zuma is right. A dog is meant for the outside guarding the house or for chasing animals.
coin
December 28, 2012 at 11:31 am
iwe chikala blacks used to own dogs so thy cud help hunt jus sort out yo coruption isue u koi son more over u act like a dog yoself u cant let a skirt pass by u wana sniff it
james
December 28, 2012 at 11:46 am
Fool we should go back to our villages and live naked like before. We should not follow any good of any cultures.
UKUWANKA
December 28, 2012 at 12:12 pm
i dnt like keeping pets..i hope my future coloured wife will not be into it
Big Daddy
December 28, 2012 at 1:43 pm
I get his point its only that the media as usual has conveniently chosen wrong words to present the topic. Statistics show that more money was spent on dog food than baby food in the past year. Soon dog/pet funerals will cost more than a funerals for human being’s created in the image of God. Dogs are sleeping in posh celebrity bedrooms while human beings sleep hungry in the cold. You fools stop arguing JZ has a point a dog is a dog.
Big Daddy
December 28, 2012 at 1:53 pm
In the past we have read that some crazy celebrity, in his will, left all his money and property in the hands of a dog. ****** skewed thinking and a Zambian in Lusaka spoils his dogs with all lavish gifts whilst his people in Lundazi are dying of hunger. Stop it listen to JZ and come back to your senses. Vo kopela bazungu muleke.
Haile Selassie
December 28, 2012 at 3:48 pm
That headline is a lie! A terrible lie!!
mwata mu mupanga
December 28, 2012 at 4:15 pm
lets learn to anaylseissues before we comment. Why buy expensive dog food when your garden boy has nomealie meal.Zuma is right
nakadinya
December 28, 2012 at 4:33 pm
@ umupondapwiti nishi iwe walifulungana nangu iyo contribute positively your comments are just not welcome how would you feel if you were in a poor mans shoes buy the way where do you live and what is you standard of education? I may be wasting my time on some one who cannot understand real issues like you just shut up your big stinking mouth.
Mzilikazi
December 28, 2012 at 6:34 pm
Fimofimo ifyo muchita ba tumfweko vilibe nzelu. Stop blocking me iam merely educating an ignoramus here
Mzilikazi aka Zwangendaba
December 28, 2012 at 6:38 pm
Iwe Fimofimo Umupandapwiti is Umubinde the only african dress? I see you are the narrowminded copycat who thinks to progress is to copy european style. african dress like any other is dynamic
Amai tilikuseli
December 28, 2012 at 6:42 pm
President Zuma of RSA is right, in Korea and other countries they braii dogs and eat them gladly.So their is nothing wrong with what my President said you whites and other dog lovers shut up.
Brig
December 28, 2012 at 7:14 pm
Well after analysing all the comments, please allow me to highlight few things here. First and foremost its good people are making these comments on almost any article. Now with respect to Zumas Statement with regards to the Domesticating Dogs, i think he is trying to highlight serious issues pertaining to the aspect of some people who want to copy anything western they see, some people have really gone as far as keeping dogs and buying them expensive dog food, when honestly there are a lot of people surrounding them who they can assist. these days almost all families have atleast experienced some kind of death in their extended families where children are left as orphans. now here is some rich fellow keeping dogs while some immediate relatives are in abject poverty, really does it make any sense both before the sight of man & God. These are points to reflect upon. Hence need to reflect on some of these comedy type cantancharous behaviour among ourselves. lets display sanity dear beloed zambians.you deserve more than dogs!!!!!!!!!
Zwangendaba
December 28, 2012 at 11:11 pm
The guy Never said owning a dog is unafrican. Its what you do to the dog that identifies your copycatism. European media twists it to suit their racial wars. Reporters! they are all liars!
Zzz
December 30, 2012 at 10:44 am
Bane shino inshiku ndasanga abantu baletomona imbwa ati pantu abasungu balashisuminisha ukulala pa beti yabo!