South Africa is now verging on the status of economic basket case. GDP growth last year was around half of one percent, the country's currency has been in free fall for the past year, and its bonds face an imminent downgrade to "junk" status. So is the South African economy doomed to a long period of low or no growth no matter who is in charge — or is President Jacob Zuma to blame?
"Zuma is no longer a president that deserves respect from anyone," said Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, in South Africa's parliament last month. And as Zuma tried to give his eighth State of the Nation speech (he became president in 2009), the EFF members of Parliament chanted "Zupta must fall". ("Zupta" is a reference to Zuma's close ties with the immensely wealthy Gupta family).
Julius Malema does not qualify as an unbiased observer, but his view of Zuma is shared right across the political spectrum in South Africa and beyond. "No-one believes anything he says," concluded veteran political analyst William Gumede. And yet Zuma continues to be in charge of Africa's largest economy — which is now deteriorating practically by the day.