President Jacob Zuma made an appearance at the Essence Festival in Durban on Sunday where he presented maskandi group Izingane Zoma with a gift of a minibus for supporting him during tough times.
Eleven years ago Zuma was acquitted of raping the daughter of a former comrade, and Izingane Zoma released their song “uMsholozi” in 2009 praising him.
The track, which became popular among his supporters, accused his rape accuser, the late Fezeka Ntsukela Kuzwayo, of having manufactured the allegations to distract him from ascending to presidency.
“I remember when I was facing a criminal charge, which was not a criminal charge but was made to be a criminal charge. They (group) were always there to defend me.
“You supported me when things were very bad. That is why I said I will never forget you, and when I got my little bonus from my employer I decided to give you a gift,” he said.
Despite the challenges facing the ANC, including contestations in the leadership in KZN and the Eastern Cape, Zuma yesterday turned jester as he joked about how at his age he still managed to charm young women to fall in love with him.
He said he could not wait for mid 2019 where he would be retiring as the country’s president and “pack my bags and return to my father’s homestead”.
Zuma said through taking care of himself he still looked like a middle aged man - “which makes me still able to win fine looking women.”
Izingane Zoma producer and manager Shobeni Khuzwayo said he was sure that the rape allegations were falsified.
“We saw this as a campaign to prevent him (Zuma) from becoming the president,” said Khuzwayo.
In a book written by broadcaster Redi Tlhabi and released recently, Fezeka Ntsukela Kuzwayo revealed to the writer details of the alleged rape and insisted Zuma was guilty.