* President dismisses charge of being out of touch
* Says populist opponent Malema ‘has no influence’
* Zuma predicts smooth party leadership contest
By Luke Baker
BRUSSELS, Sept 19 (Reuters) – South African President Jacob
Zuma dismissed critics who accuse him of being out of touch with
the people and brushed aside one of his most vocal opponents,
saying populist rival Julius Malema had no influence and was
“just talk”.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with the European
Union, shortly after a deal was struck to end a six-week strike
at South Africa’s Marikana platinum mine, Zuma laughed when
asked how he responds to those who say he has lost touch with
the roots of the African National Congress and its voters.
“They are actually wrong,” he said in an interview at his
hotel in Brussels late on Tuesday. “I am with the people on a
continuous basis in huge meetings. Those people are really just
telling what they think without looking at the facts. I am very
much in touch with the people.”
Zuma has been accused of being slow to react to the Marikana
strike, even after the killing of 45 people, including 34 miners
shot dead by police. He visited the site shortly after the Aug.
16 shootings, but stayed only briefly and then went to dance at
an ANC event, despite having declared a week of mourning.
Asked if he had more affinity with the mineworkers or with
Cyril Ramaphosa, a wealthy businessman and board member of
Lonmin Plc , the owner of the Marikana mine,
Zuma defended his relationship with the former union activist
who is now worth an estimated $275 million.
Continued…
