British celebrity and supermodel Naomi Campbell has written a critical open letter to South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma.
The letter was written in the aftermath of last month’s widespread looting and civil unrest, which came after Zuma was imprisoned for contempt of court. She posted her letter online on Instagram.
Campbell wrote that ‘this isn’t the South Africa I remember and that millions of South African’s (sic) fought for. The South Africa that overcame Apartheid, showed the world that change was possible. Led the battle in the fight against HIV/AIDS and has weathered countless efforts to undermine the new South Africa.’
She continued: ‘You have talked of the rule of law and the South African constitution being something that should apply to everyone. Yet you defied the courts and were sentenced 15 months in prison.’
The letter has drawn a mixed reaction on social media, with some jumping to the president’s defence and others praising the celebrity for her courage in writing the open letter.
Campbell is known for her fondness for South Africa. In 1994, when then President Nelson Mandela met her for the first time, he referred to the model as his ‘honorary granddaughter’. In 2018 she co-hosted the ‘Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100’ alongside other popular celebrities such as Beyonce, Jay Z and Cassper Nyovest.
[Image: Georges Biard, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60237464]