There are certain behaviours which are unbefitting a president. The dignity and prestige of the office is not automatic. In order for others to respect the office of the president, the president needs to behave like one.

And, despite what those who protest at the defamatory nature of political cartoons would have us believe, this includes the president's personal life. As figurehead and leader of the country, the president is, at all times, an example for his fellow countrymen.

And, no, this is not a diatribe against polygamy. While polygamy is something which, if recent polls are to be believed, most South Africans do not agree with, it is also a state of affairs that the country has come to accept ? if a little reluctantly ? on the grounds of culture and tradition.

However, this does not give the president licence to behave like a testosterone-fuelled teenager, who has no control over his raging libido, let alone the discretion to know what is and what is not appropriate. This is not behavior befitting the office of a president.

It is not befitting for the 67-year-old head of state, who already has three wives, to impregnate the daughter of one of his friends. It could be argued that it is not befitting for any 67-year-old man to do so.

It is not befitting for a president to hide behind the cultural tradition of polygamy, whilst at the same time breaking the rules of that tradition. The tradition does not dictate that one produces offspring with women and then marries them. It is for this reason that there are monetary penalties for doing so.

In the past, the president has argued that, unlike other politicians who have secret mistresses on the side, he is proud of his wives. Proud, he may be, but the line about mistresses is a red herring. For Zuma too has mistresses. Sure, some of them may eventually become wives, but until they do, that is what they are.

Finally ? and this is perhaps the most pertinent point ? it is unbefitting for the president of a country battling the one of the world's worst HIV/Aids pandemics to be having sexual relations outside of his marital circle. Particularly because in doing so, he endangers the lives of all of his wives. The fact that Zuma has produced so many children out of wedlock suggests that he ? the first citizen of the country ? does not take the very important mantra of 'safe sex' seriously.

And if he doesn't, why should anyone else?

Why should South African men (and women) follow the creed of 'Abstain, Be faithful, and Condomise' if the president so clearly doesn't? This is the very foundation on which South Africa's HIV-prevention campaign is built. And the president makes a mockery of it.

He also makes a mockery of the office he campaigned so hard to occupy. As president, Zuma has been entrusted with running the country. By no means an easy task. And yet, it would seem ? to the general public ? that he is more concerned with increasing his progeny.

In the past year, Zuma has married one woman, fathered a child with another, and become engaged to yet another. One wonders how he has had the time to do much else.

It is time, Mr President, for you to pull up your pants and start running the country.

Do you agree with Rebekah? Or can the president do whatever he likes in private?