Jacob Zuma while visiting a Primary School, visits one of the classrooms.
The class are in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings. The teacher asks the new ANC leader if he would like to lead the discussion on the word “Tragedy”. So the leader asks the class for an example of a tragedy.
Josiah stands up and offers: “If my friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field and a runaway tractor comes along and knocks him dead, that would be a tragedy”.
“No “says Zuma, that would be an “accident”.
Beauty raises her hand: “If a school bus, carrying 50 children, drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy. “I’m afraid not” explains Zuma, “That’s what we would call a great loss”.
The room goes silent. No other children volunteer. Jacob Zuma searches the room. “Isn’t there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?”
Finally at the back of the class Sipho raises his hand. In a quiet voice he says: “If a jet, carrying you, your wife and most of the ANC ministers, is struck by a missile and blown to smithereens that would be a tragedy.”
“Fantastic!” exclaims Zuma, “that’s right. Now can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?
“Well says Sipho, “because it wouldn’t be a great loss, and it probably wouldn’t be an accident either.
