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CURRENT NEWS

South Africa's president, Jacob Zuma, has lashed out at British attitudes to "barbaric" Africans as he begins a state visit in London.

The remarks came after scathing British media coverage of the polygamous president and his chequered past, including the recent scandal of his 20th child, born out of wedlock. A Daily Mail article described him as a "sex-obsessed bigot" and "vile buffoon".

Zuma, due to meet the Queen and Gordon Brown today, countered with an attack on what he described as culturally superior views reminiscent of the British empire in South Africa.

"When the British came to our country, they said everything we are doing was barbaric, was wrong, inferior in whatever way," he told South Africa's Star newspaper.

"Bear in mind that I'm a freedom fighter and I fought to free myself, also for my culture to be respected. And I don't know why they are continuing thinking that their culture is more superior than others, those who might have said so.

"I am very clear on these issues, I've not looked down upon any culture of anyone, and no one has been given an authority to judge others.

"The British have done that before, as they colonised us, and they continue to do this, and it's an unfortunate thing. If people want an engagement, I'm sure we will engage on that issue."

Zuma's statement was condemned by South Africa's main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, as insulting to his hosts.

Kenneth Mubu, the party's shadow international relations minister, said: "The treatment of President Jacob Zuma at the hands of a certain portion of the British press – most notably the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror – does not excuse his quite extraordinary attack on Britain and the British people."

He added: "Instead of rising above predictable criticism from a particular quarter of the British press, he has allowed himself to be dragged down to the level of the tabloids.

"By accusing the British people of believing that Africans are barbaric and inferior, he has insulted his hosts, and no doubt undermined the entire purpose of the state visit – which is to strengthen relations between South Africa and the United Kingdom."

Zuma was backed, however, by the youth wing of his party, the African National Congress. It issued a statement saying it was disgusted by the British reports.

"British media seem to have developed a habit of rubbishing our president and constantly portray him as barbaric and of inferior belonging," the youth league said. "It is quite apparent that the British media is the one that is characterised and defined by the worst form of barbarism, backwardness and racism.

"These British racists continue to live in a dreamland and sadly believe that Africans are still their colonial subjects, with no values and principles. They believe that the only acceptable values and principles in the world are British values of whiteness and subjugation of Africans."

Zuma, on a three-day visit, will press the British government for international sanctions on Zimbabwe to be lifted. He is accompanied by the newest of his three wives, Thobeka Madiba Zuma, on her first trip abroad. Protocol on which wife attends which state event is unclear and Zuma operates an unofficial "rotation" between spouses.

This article by Mduduzi Mathuthu was extracted from "New Zimbabwe.com"

Chakanyuka, who was jailed for eight years and four months on February 3, wanted to give her the disease because she had refused to have sex with him, fearing she would be infected.

On Tuesday this week, a judge lifted a name suppression order which was requested by the woman last December as she feared being identified if her estranged husband’s name became public.

Auckland High Court Justice Ailsa Duffy initially granted interim name suppression late last year so that the woman's lawyer, Lester Cordwell, could argue her case for suppression to be continued.

But after a hearing last week, the judge ruled against continuing name suppression, though she acknowledged that that was likely to identify the 33-year-old victim.

Chakanyuka and his now estranged wife were given until 5PM Tuesday to appeal the judge's decision, or name suppression would lapse. No appeal was lodged.

Justice Duffy said: "The combination of the presumption of open justice, and the potential risk of other members of the community being infected with HIV as a result of Chakanyuka's conduct, must outweigh the privacy interests of the victim and her children."

New Zealand police have now made a public appeal for Chakanyuka’s former sexual partners to come forward and get tested after releasing his photo.

Justice Duffy said there was "uncontested evidence" that Chakanyuka had had sex with other women who ought to be told of the risks they and their existing or potential partners now faced.

She said the Crown was concerned that there was nothing to indicate that Chakanyuka had told the other women he was HIV-positive or that he had practised safe sex with them.

Police said Chakanyuka had been sexually active for some years in Auckland after arriving with his family from Zimbabwe in 2004.

"We have been able to determine that the offender has been sexually active with other women in the Auckland area over the last few years," said Detective Simon Jeffries, of the Counties Manukau Police.