The poor defending a man who forgot them at a time of enrichment

There is one thing about Jacob Zuma that cannot be denied – he can garner support from the pockets of society that seem forgotten by the rest of us.

This is a man who stands accused of self-enrichment, basically using the state coffers as an ATM with no limits.

Yet, it is the poor who leave their everyday lives to come to his “protection” outside of regulations, ready to defy the powers that be.

They do this in defence of a man who forgot them at a time of enrichment but, today, looks to them for undeniable support, tugging at their heartstrings by recalling the struggles of apartheid.

He talks about persecution without fair trial and questions the very same constitution that he swore to uphold. Excuse my confusion.

There was, however, something that I saw in his supporters that got me thinking. As a child of two families whose uncles and cousins were members of uMkhonto we Sizwe – some of whom had gone into exile, others who chose to stay and fight in the streets of South Africa – I saw a people who had forgotten the desired goals were attained by cadres of the struggle.

These were the men and women who were never celebrated at the dispensation of democracy – the nameless heroes. And, now, here they are, being reminded that one of their own – the one that forgot them – is being persecuted and, once again, they are needed to come and stand in defence of a comrade because, ultimately, an attack on him is an attack on the movement.

These men and women are the nameless foot soldiers whose dreams and desires for this country lifted others at the expense of themselves.

When the call of duty was again sounded, Zuma took advantage, knowing that they would all heed the call and spring to his defence. He recognised the shattered dreams and feeling of disassociation with the current rule of power and manipulated the lost and forgotten struggle heroes whose names are not etched in the history books.

As is his wont, he only thought about himself.