Johannesburg – Two days before the South African elections, President Jacob Zuma took a swipe at Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu Monday for his criticism of the ruling African National Congress.
“My understanding is that bishops and pastors are there to pray for those who go wrong, not to enter into political lives,” Zuma told journalists after the Anglican archbishop emeritus last month questioned the calibre of the country’s leaders.
Tutu has been very critical of the ANC government’s graft scandals and poor governance ruling party would not get his ballot in the forthcoming elections.
“I have said I won’t vote for them and say it with a very heavy heart,” he lamented after saying the new leaders fell short of liberation heroes like Nelson Mandela.
Tutu has been in support of the call made by a group of ANC stalwarts that voters should spoil the ballot.
The current government under the leadership of Zuma has been involved in many scandals with the prominent one being the one where Zuma upgraded his rural home at a cost of $23 million.
“For pastors to say don’t vote… I think to me that is a problem. That is entering into a political thing,” he said.
His statements come despite the fact that numerous clergymen from different religions have attended campaign rallies of the ANC, and even prayed for the party’s victory.
Relations between the “Arch” and the ANC have been prickly in recent years, but the party has carefully worded its responses to the often-public diatribes of a popular figure.
“I respect pastors, I respect bishops. That is his views, it is his own views, and he talks to people,” Zuma said Monday.
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