He took part in the civil rights movement of blacks when he was 17 after joining the African National Congress (AFC) founded by Nelson Mandela. Since a white government had made apartheid (the policies of racial discrimination) into law, he continued an armed struggle against the policies, so he was put in the same prison as Mandela for 10 years. He became a democratic fighter who succeeded Nelson Mandela and the new hope of South Africa. After the ANC had become an official party, Jacob Zuma started his political activities in earnest to become the President of South Africa.

           However, his history of corruption is quite serious. In 1999, he became the Vice President of South Africa, but was implicated in a bribery scandal. So he was dismissed from his post in 2005, but two years later he was elected as the chairman of the party and then became the President of South Africa in 2009. However, his political scandal didn’t end here. He spent 16.6 billion won of the national treasury repairing and tightening the security of his enormous mansion. However, in details of his use, he received a great deal of criticism because he used the national treasury to install luxury swimming pools in his mansion (a different reason than the original purpose). After that, the Constitutional Court ordered him to pay back part of the national treasury he used, but he rejected it with the strength of the ANC, which is the majority party.

           South Africans became enraged when President Zuma’s collusive circumstances with the wealthy ”Gupta” family emerged to the public. The problem is that the “Gupta” family intervened in the selection and dismissal of the chairman of a state-owned company. The citizens came to demand intensely that President Zuma step down. Also, when the approval rating of the ANC, to which the president is joined, dropped, they continued to pressure for the resignation of President Zuma. Finally, he voluntarily came down from his post as President in February.

           “Why do you ask that question to me? Ask Gupta directly.” This is an absurd answer President Zuma gave to a reporter when he received some questions about the monopoly of government affairs he made. Jacob Zuma, who was the hope of South Africa, is now a disgrace to the country. Can a new era different from the past come to South Africa again?