Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said the jury is still out on President Jacob Zuma's leadership of South Africa, thus far.

He was guest of honour at a dinner in Durban, on Tuesday night, when he made the statement but earlier this year Tutu was extremely critical of Zuma's past, and the ruling party, on the eve of the elections.

During the dinner, an evidently more cautious Tutu said that the president had won a resounding victory in the election and deserved a fair chance.

"He has made some very good statements but we now want to see action. I think he must be given a fair chance, so as they say the jury is out," Tutu remarked.

He added that people will have to adopt the same approach to the appointment of Bheki Cele as the new police commissioner.

"Let's see what happens. There's too much crime and violence and really perhaps you need a tough person who appears to have had some success," commented the bishop.