Smanga Kumalo — The ANC congratulated President Jacob Zuma on Friday after he was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of International Relations by the Peking University.
“This acknowledgement goes a long way to underline the primacy of President Zuma’s approach in locating South Africa on the political and economic world map, and our country’s aggressive stance in advancing the interests of the developing nations,” African National Congress spokesman Jackson Mthembu said in a statement.
“This honour underlines his unparalleled passion of bringing development, both economic and infrastructural, to under-developed sections of our country and our continent.”
Mthembu said that through Zuma’s leadership, South Africa had become a voice for development throughout the world.
“President Zuma is a self-taught intellectual, who organically developed to a level comparable to those who went through academic institutions, 1/8and 3/8 has demonstrated the will to accumulate knowledge as a pragmatist,” Mthembu said.
“This gesture of acknowledgement will certainly reposition and reinforce the president’s role and voice on the world’s political and economic affairs.”
In his acceptance speech, Zuma said the award was a sign of the confidence China had in South Africa.
“I take this as a symbol of the confidence the Chinese have in South Africa as an emerging country of the south, as well as a partner in the pursuit of a just international order.”
He said that it could also be seen as the recognition and appreciation by China of the role the ANC played in the struggle against apartheid.
“All of us in the leadership of the ANC have made these accomplishments because of the unwavering support of the South African people,” Zuma said.
“I am genuinely humbled that this recognition is done through me as the leader of this organisation, and as the leader of the democratic government of South Africa.”
This is the ninth honorary academic award that Zuma has received.
The others are from the University of Fort Hare, the University of Zululand, the Medical University of Southern Africa, the University of Limpopo, the University of Zambia, the American University of Nigeria, the University of Abomey-Calavi of Benin and the Texas Southern University
