Can Zuma dance to the samba?

Can President Jacob Zuma learn from Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the leftist former leader credited with turning Brazil's fortunes around?

That is one of the questions 800 Cosatu delegates attending this week's central committee meeting will be asking themselves.

The trade union federation, which is in alliance with the ruling ANC and played a significant role in making Zuma president, is bitterly unhappy with government's failure to tackle high levels of unemployment and reduce poverty.

With three important congresses scheduled to be held next year that will shape the future direction of the ruling tripartite alliance, the labour federation will use this week to weigh its options and review progress made in achieving its political and economic goals.

The most urgent question will be whether it should continue supporting Zuma as ANC president and head of state despite Cosatu's disappointment with his failure to chart a different development path for the country.

Like most other leftist groups in the developing world, Cosatu has been inspired by Brazil's success in reducing the gap between rich and poor during Lula's tenure as president.

The federation therefore tends to draw a lot from the Brazilian experience during the Lula years.

Hence it is not surprising that, as the trade union movement searches for answers to South African problems, its leaders are looking to Lula for solutions.

In a document prepared for the central committee meeting and which focuses on the experiences of other left-wing groups around the world, Cosatu points out that Lula's first term in office - which was from 2002 to 2006 - was as tainted by corruption allegations, leadership divisions and policy zigzags as Zuma's.

"Together with his allies in the party, state and the broader movement, he acted decisively to turn this around in his second term. The government and party leadership was changed and important policy shifts were engineered ... and (this) led to a huge increase in support from the masses. By the end of his second term in 2010, surveys put his support at 80%, making him the most popular leader in the world," says Cosatu of Lula.

The federation says further that this is an "important lesson" for South Africa, as it shows "that a turnaround can be achieved from an apparently desperate situation".

But what would Zuma need to do to turn himself into South Africa's answer to Lula? Is it even possible?

One of the biggest criticisms of the president has been his inability to take firm decisions and stick with them.

He seems too cautious and avoids providing leadership on controversial issues when he believes that they may lose him important constituencies within the ruling alliance.

As in Brazil, corruption is a major problem in South Africa and needs to be tackled as a matter of urgency if the country is to succeed.

Since coming to power, Zuma has made the right noises about the issue, but, unfortunately, this has not been backed by action.

Allegations have been made against too many senior government officials, ministers and ruling party leaders without the president taking convincing steps against them.

His comrades in Cosatu say he can easily turn over a new leaf by censuring Minister of Local Governance Sicelo Shiceka, who is facing a series of allegations against him.

They say Zuma can show courage by lifting the lid on a damning report implicating a senior ruling party leader in acts of corruption in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro in the Eastern Cape.

There is also the case of the shocking scandals surrounding police buildings in Pretoria and Durban, and the public protector's damning findings in those cases.

But, with the contest for power within the ruling party intensifying ahead of next year's congress, can Zuma afford to take drastic measures and alienate possible allies?

Cosatu members will have to answer that question this week.