Enemy of the People: How Jacob Zuma stole South Africa and how the people fought back

by Adriaan Basson, Pieter Du Toit

Enemy of the People is the first definitive account of Zuma’s catastrophic misrule, offering eyewitness descriptions and cogent analysis of how South Africa was brought to its knees – and how a people fought back.
When Jacob Zuma took over the leadership of the ANC one muggy Polokwane evening in December 2007, he inherited a country where GDP was growing by more than 6% per annum, a party enjoying the support of two-thirds of the electorate, and a unified tripartite alliance. Today, South Africa is caught in the grip of a patronage network, the economy is floundering and the ANC is staring down the barrel of a defeat at the 2019 general elections.

How did we get here?

Zuma first brought to heel his party, Africa’s oldest and most revered liberation movement, subduing and isolating dissidents associated with his predecessor Thabo Mbeki. Then saw the emergence of the tenderpreneur and those attempting to capture the state, as well as a network of family, friends and business associates that has become so deeply embedded that it has, in effect, replaced many parts of government. Zuma opened up the state to industrial-scale levels of corruption, causing irreparable damage to state enterprises, institutions of democracy, and the ANC itself.

But it hasn’t all gone Zuma’s way. Former allies have peeled away. A new era of activism has arisen and outspoken civil servants have stepped forward to join a cross-section of civil society and a robust media. As a divided ANC square off for the elective conference in December, where there is everything to gain or to lose, award-winning journalists Adriaan Basson and Pieter du Toit offer a brilliant and up-to-date account of the Zuma era.

Genres: South Africa, Politics, Nonfiction

362 pages, Paperback

Published November 13, 2017

Reviews

[Sipho · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a summary of Jacob Zuma's disastrous tenure as President of South Africa.

The book starts from the ANC elective conference of 2007, when Thabo Mbeki was ousted from the head of the party.

At that point, the economy was growing and the ANC had a 66‰ majority in Parliament.

A few years later, South Africa's economy was near its knees and support for the ANC had receded.

This was in no small part due to Zuma's scandals.

From the arms deal affair, to Nkandla and the allegations of state capture, its fair to say that Zuma's reign was marked by unprecedented malfeasance.

And yet the book tells the story of how individuals and institutions resisted the rot.

Whether or not they have been successful in stemming the tide of institutional corruption remains to be seen.

[Shane Vontelin Van Breda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is brilliant. I can highly recommend reading The Presidents Keepers as well. Both books do an excellent job at revealing sever extent of corruption in South Africa and how so many great institutions have been destroyed to feed the greedy in power.

[Jacques Du Bruyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written but also easy to read, which is the point of this type of book. For everyone to have access to information. I personally think this is a better book than ‘The President’s Keepers’ - it does a better job of presenting the macro issue of state capture. Read it.

[Genevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of my favourites. If you're trying to get your head around the crazy mess of thr Guptas, Zuma, State Capture and the corruption plaguing SA this is the ideal guide. Pier du Toit also remains a favorite writer of mine so it was a treat to read something he was involved in.

[Hans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damning assessment of the Zuma years. The underlying interviews and fact finds make it all come alive. Once in a while it seems written for insiders, but overall it is an engrossing book.