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Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (Born: 12 April 1942) 1. Character: President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma

2. Country Character represents: South Africa

Geography: South Africa has about 1.2 million square kilometers. It neighbors are Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland. Large farms, ranches, and fields dominate the countryside. The Great Escarpment separatesthe higher regions of the country from the low areas along the coast. The highest part is Drakensberg which is 3,350 metres. The Kalahari and Namib deserts are in western South Africa.

Economy: South Africa is the richest country in Africa. It produces about 25% of the continents goods and services. The economy is based on mining and industry. It is the world’s biggest gold producer. 40% of the that has been mined on earth came from South Africa. Factories produce cars, chemicals, iron and steel. It exports corn, wheat, sugar cane, and citrus fruits.

Population:  About 44 million people live in South Africa. 80 percent of the population are black who belong to different ethnic groups and have different languages. A half of them live in cities and the other half live on the countryside in farms. There are 3 minorities, white are 10 percent, 9 percent are coloreds which are people of mixed races. Asians make up about 1 percent of the population. The majority of the population are Protestants or Roman Catholics.

Social Structure:  South Africa population have many social problems like AIDS. Today 5 million people are infected with HIV. Corruption and crime are also big issues. According to the United Nations, It is among the most dangerous countries in the world. The last problem South Africa has is unemployment. About a third of the population do not have a job. Most of the educated and skilled people from South Africa are moving to Europe for a Job.

3. Job Positions and background: Current:  The President of the Republic of South Africa since May 9, 2009 and the President of the African National Congress(ANC) since December 20, 2007.

 Past: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Member of the ANC National Executive Committee(NEC) in 1977 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Head of the ANC Intelligence Department <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> - Elected Deputy Secretary General in 1959 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- ANC Deputy President in December 1997 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Deputy President of the republic of South Africa (1999- June 2005) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> - ANC president in 2007

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Background: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jacob Zuma became involved in politics when he was young and joined the ANC in 1958. He was an active member of the ANC armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, in 1962. The banning of the ANC was in 1960. He left the country in 1963, he was arrested along with 52 others and sentenced to 10 years in prison on Robben Island. After Zuma was released, he left South Africa in 1975 and worked with president former President Thabo Mbeki for the next 12 years in Southern Africa. He gave leadership to the ANC operating inside South Africa. The ANC was later unbanned in February 1990 and he returned to South Africa as one of the first leaders to negotiate the Apartheid.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Projects: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Groote-Schuur Minute between the De Klerk government and the ANC which reached important decisions about the release of important political people. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> - Established the Jacob Zuma RDP Educational Trust Fund (1998) which educated more than 20,000 children.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Awards: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> - Nelson Mandela Award for Outstanding Leadership in Washington D.C, US in 1998 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Honorary doctorates from University of Fort Hare, University of Zululand and Medical University of Southern Africa, University of Limpopo in 2001.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4.References: Hifikepunye Pohamba-Namibia (Land reform) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mustafa A.G. Abushagur-Libya(ANC) <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">José Eduardo dos Santos- <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Angola(SWAPO)

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Four Benchmarks: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Safety and rule of law: Ranked 7th with a score of 69 in 2010. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Participation and human rights: Ranked 3rd with a score of 72 in 2010. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Sustainable Economic Opportunity: Ranked 7th in 2010 with a score of of 64. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Human Development: Ranked 8th in 2010 with a score of 77. 6.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">6. Jacob Zuma thinks rule of law is essential. He says that his political platform is based on human dignity, equality, freedom, and the supremacy of the Constitution. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> Friends of South Africa: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Russia <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-China <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Zimbabwe <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-USA <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Germeny <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">No Enemies

**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Work Cited **
"The President." //Government Leaders//. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. [].

"South Africa." //English-online//. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. [].


 * Sturche, James. //Jacob Zuma//. Digital image. //Guardian.co.uk//. N.p., 12 Sept. 2010. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. [].

"Zuma Says Rule of Law Is Essential." //Iol News//. N.p., 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 01 Oct. 2012. <http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/zuma-says-rule-of-law-is-essential-1.1389158>.