South Africa: Zuma celebrates 74th birthday amid growing opposition

South African President, Jacob Zuma, celebrated his 74th birthday on Tuesday, amid growing calls for his resignation, mostly from the opposition.


“My birthday wish is to see South Africa increasingly becoming a better place for all,’’ Zuma said in a message to the nation.

Presidential spokesperson, Bongani Majola, said that Zuma would spend the day with his family in Pretoria.

The president is embroiled in a series of scandals, notably improper state spending on his rural home and the Gupta business family’s alleged undue influence over his government.

South Africa’s top court in late March ruled that Zuma violated the constitution by ignoring orders from an anti-corruption body for him to repay public money improperly used during security upgrades at his private home in Nkandla.

The opposition has failed in a bid to impeach Zuma in parliament following the ruling.

It has also accused Zuma of his links with the Indian-South African Gupta family after some sitting and former officials alleged the Guptas offered them ministerial posts.