Zuma scores a 10 at No. 10

We’re pleased to report that President Jacob Zuma’s visit to No 10 Downing Street, home to Britain’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah, went without a hitch.

In fact the President even got to kick a little ball in the PM’s backyard, and met with England footballer Steven Gerrard and South Africa’s captain Aaron Mokoena to discuss their campaign for primary education for each and every African child.

Mr Zuma has laughed off the controversy of yesterday, insisting that his comments were taken out of context and that he was actually criticising both the British and South African media. “We are not necessarily trying to condemn the British or whatever,” he said. “I’m sure you are aware that the colonial life in South Africa has been viewed by Africans in a particular way. I think we are sort of making a comment in that context.”

The President reported that he has been “very happy” during the trip and that he and his part of almost 200 business people have been “very warmly” received by the British. And the photographs definitely seem to tell the same story.

The only bone of contention today was during a discussion on Zimbabwe. Zuma is keen to presuade Britain to lift sanctions on the nation. Zuma said the European Union’s sanctions are stalling progress in Zimbabwe, but the British PM said that the EU sanctions do not target Zimbabwe or Zimbabweans but that “they target individuals who are responsible for violence and a number of businesses linked to them”. He said progress in human rights and democracy was needed first in Zimbabwe before sanctions could be lifted.

The South African president and his wife Thobeka Madiba Zuma also met local school children when they visited a Sainsburys Supermarket in Greenwich, London.