Durban - If you ever dreamt of calling President Jacob Zuma directly, but were unable to do so because of bureaucratic red tape, here is your chance.
His personal cellphone number has been made available on social networks by the Durban-based lobby group iNjeje yamaNguni, which aims to make politicians accountable to individual voters.
The organisation, which is also known as the United Council of the Nguni Youth, has sought out the private numbers of politicians and senior public servants via their friends, family members, colleagues and employees.
Since last week the organisation has distributed 53 numbers on its Facebook page and Twitter account. Zuma’s number was made available on Monday, along with those of National Council of Provinces chairwoman Thandi Modise, Gauteng Premier David Makhura and Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle.
But when Zuma’s number was called on Monday evening it was off, with no recorded message indicating it belonged to him.
”This is definitely the president’s number. You cannot get hold of him because he is in Tanzania today. Give him a day and call it. We have tested it. He switches it off at 9am and opens it in the evening,” said the group's spokesman Phumlani Mfeka.
Presidential spokesman Bongani Majola said he could not confirm whether the number belonged to Zuma or not.
The group’s Facebook page has nearly 50 phone numbers, including those of ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, DA national leader Mmusi Maimane, EFF commander-in-chief Julius Malema, NFP leader Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi and IFP KwaZulu-Natal MPL Blessed Gwala.
Mfeka is not new to controversy. Two years ago he sparked outrage with his anti-Indian views after Newcastle mayor Afzul Rehman laid a complaint when a local traffic officer referred to him as a “Gupta”. At the time, he led an anti-Indian group, known as the Mazibuye African Forum.
On Monday, Mfeka said the primary objective of his two-month-old organisation was to unite the Nguni nation, but they had decided to start by getting public representatives to deliver on their promises.
“We don’t know any law that prevents us from distributing these numbers.”
He said his organisation had been inundated with requests for direct telephone numbers of leaders.
“If people call their leaders on their office numbers they cannot get hold of them since they are always busy.”
Mfeka said the idea of making politicians’ numbers available to the public was not new, as several municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, including the eThekwini metro, published the numbers of councillors on their websites.
However, Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has not taken kindly to the move. The Sunday Times reported him as saying this would allow izikhebereshe (loose women) to call at any time and cause trouble between him and his wife.
Mfeka’s organisation wanted Gigaba to apologise for insulting women. “If he does not apologise we will take action against him. We would even approach women’s rights organisations to deal with him.”
Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini said he was not concerned that his number had been distributed.
“I don’t take these people seriously. Whether they distribute my number or not, I don’t care because it is always available for public to call me. The problem is that these numbers might fall into the hands of people who might want to harm the leaders,” he said.
University of KwaZulu-Natal political analyst Zakhele Ndlovu said although the aim of the organisation might be to make politicians accountable, it could also have unintended consequences involving politicians’ personal lives.
“This is open to abuse because if a person has a beef with the minister or any elected politician he can use the number to abuse that particular office-bearer,” he said.
The Mercury