On Wednesday evening President Jacob Zuma reached his apogee, bypassing cabinet, the ANC and the world to fire Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene, replacing him with some guy called David van Rooyen, an unknown quantity even to ANC MPs. On Sunday evening Zuma reached his nadir, instructed by his party and the country's financial elite to eat his words. He announced that he had been wrong and that Van Rooyen was out and former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan was back in. Somewhere between the apogee and the nadir, Zuma lost his aura, an event that is best captured by the modern phrase "hollowing out".Political power depends on an aura, a fear in those around the great man that a misstep - such as questioning a decision or failing to vote the right way at a regional congress - might have serious consequences.When Zuma issued his humbling statement, he became a political zombie, a dead politician walking. All the trappings of office remained - the spin doctors, the official residences, the limos and appointments with heads of state - but the power to enforce his will on others was gone.Until 2019 when the next general election takes place, Zuma will not be permitted to make another big decision without first clearing it with the party and the captains of high finance.This is not a bad thing, but it is not a good thing either. While it's better than Zuma issuing market-destroying press statements in the dead of night, it will turn government into a sorry creature wading through the treacle of consultation. Sometimes indecision can be worse than the wrong decision.There is, of course, a tantalising alternative to the zombie presidency: the ANC recalling Zuma as it did Mbeki, and so restoring its support base ahead of next year's local government elections.But that would require courage and leadership, something which the pre-zombie Zuma successfully amputated from the party. So it's the country of the living dead, then...