South African opposition parties accused President Jacob Zuma on Monday of a cavalier attitude to safe sex that is hurting the HIV/AIDS campaign after news that a woman not one of his wives had had his 20th child.
   
The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, said Zuma, 68, was sending the wrong message to South Africans, among the world's worst sufferers from HIV/AIDS.
   
"There are some people who may argue that Jacob Zuma's sex life is a matter of private morality or 'culture', but this is not so. His personal behaviour has profound public consequences," DA leader Helen Zille said in a statement.
   
At least 5.7 million South Africans are infected with HIV and AIDS kills an estimated 1,000 people a day.
   
Wrong message
The African Christian Democratic Party said Zuma was undermining the government's drive to persuade people to practise safe sex to combat HIV/AIDS.
   
"... his conduct undermines his own government's message on HIV/AIDS, because they are talking about safe sex and the president is continuing without using condoms. He is undermining the message of his government," said ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe.
   
The Congress of the People (COPE), another opposition party said Zuma could no longer use African cultural practices to justify his "promiscuity".
   
"Polygamy is not promiscuity and his behaviour is not justifiable under any circumstances, COPE said a statement.
   
Calling Zuma's conduct "irresponsible" the party said the public should demand he acts like a "President" and not a "gigolo".
   

Acknowledged fatherhood

A source close to Zuma told Reuters that the president, a traditionalist who practises polygamy and has three wives, had acknowledged in a legal document being the father of a child with Sonono Khoza, 39.
   
Khoza, the daughter of Irvin Khoza who heads the local organising committee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, gave birth to a girl in October last year.
   
"Zuma acknowledges that the child is his and accepted full responsibility", the source said. Sonono Khoza has undertaken not to speak to the media, the source added.
   
Zuma married for the fifth time last month, taking Tobeka Madiba as his third current wife. Multiple marriages are allowed in South Africa and form part of Zulu culture, but the practice has drawn criticism from HIV/AIDS activists. He defended polygamy at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos last week. Asked whether he treated all his wives equally, Zuma replied: "Absolutely, totally equally".
   
The ANC has backed Zuma accusing the media of "making a mountain out of nothing" and calling the criticism "disingenuous" and "unjustified".
   
"There is nothing wrong with what the President had done. There is nothing shameful when two adults have a relationship."

Source: Reuters