South African president Zuma reveals he used to practice witchcraft against white people

• Told crowd in his native Zulu language at a pre-election rally
  
• Zuma spoke in village of KaNyamazane in Mpumalanga province
  
• Reportedly said he used to 'bewitch the Boers during apartheid'
  

By Dan Newling

PUBLISHED: 13:41 GMT, 9 January 2014 | UPDATED: 15:54 GMT, 9 January 2014

South Africa's president Jacob Zuma has told how he used to practise witchcraft against white people.

Speaking in his native Zulu language at a pre-election rally in the country's rural north, he told a crowd of his voodoo past.

'I used to practise witchcraft around here, bewitching the Boers during apartheid', Zuma reportedly said.

Revelation: South Africa's president Jacob Zuma has told how he used to practise witchcraft against white people

Speaking in his native Zulu language at a pre-election rally in the country's rural north, he told a crowd of his voodoo past

President Zuma spoke in the village of KaNyamazane, in South Africa's Mpumalanga province on Wednesday.

He promised the crowd that if his African National Congress (ANC) party was re-elected into power with over 90 per cent of the popular vote, he would come back to the village to slaughter cows in celebration.

'When the elections are over, I'm coming again. If you give us 90 per cent upwards during the elections, we are coming here to slaughter cows. Less than 90 per cent, I don't come.'

South Africa President Jacob Zuma (second left), the ex-wife of Nelson Mandela, Winnie Mandela Madikizela (left), and the widow of Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel (third left) sit by the coffin of Nelson Mandela during his funeral ceremony

Zuma also told the crowd that the ANC would continue to run South Africa 'for ever'.

'We will continue to run this government forever and ever. Whether they (detractors) like it or not!' Zuma said.

Although South Africa's ANC government is predicted to win this year's election with around 60 per cent of the vote, it is forecast to lose a great deal of popular support.

The past five years have seen widespread economic strife in South Africa.

The former liberation party has also been embroiled in a series of highly damaging corruption scandals.

President Zuma is also widely perceived has having personally profited from his presidency by building a lavish £10 million homestead with what is alleged to be taxpayers' money.

Jacob Zuma played a significant role in the ANC's struggle against apartheid, working as a commander of the movement's armed wing, the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK).

As part of his underground work for the MK, he travelled incognito around South Africa, helping plot military exercises against apartheid targets.

Many South African political commentators have expressed fears that Zuma's and the ANC's growing unpopularity may see him and the party try to play on South Africans' racial fears to win support.

President Zuma is also widely perceived has having personally profited from his presidency by building a lavish £10 million homestead with what is alleged to be taxpayers' money