JT needs to keep his sense of Zuma

As John Terry weathers a scandalous storm which threatens his captaincy of the England team at this year's World Cup, he must wish he was already in South Africa.

The storm that has engulfed Terry's private and now professional life over an apparent affair with the former girlfriend of ex-team-mate Wayne Bridge threatens to derail England's so far faultless preparation for the showpiece tournament in June.

While it appears Terry has not broken any laws with his off-field cavorting, he has apparently trampled all over several moral boundaries which has left much of the English public up in arms and calling for his head.

It's an interesting cultural contrast that in South Africa, the country where Terry will be looking to repair his shattered reputation in a few months' time, president Jacob Zuma has found himself in a similarly awkward situation.

Zuma, 67, has allegedly fathered a child outside of marriage with a woman 30 years his junior. But while a handful of political opponents are trying to get mileage out of Zuma's extra-curricular activities, the indomitable president hasn't even batted an eyelid.

Not only is Zuma used to riding out political storms like the one he and Terry have found themselves in, he is also unapologetic about his colourful personal life which has seen him marry five times and father 19 children.

In fact, Zuma is clearly a man of great energy, running a country like South Africa, while still maintaining three separate marriages (and now apparently at least one mistress). The English cultural and legal taboo of bigamy does not apply in many African cultures and as a result, the president can just about do what he wants in his private life so long as it doesn't interfere with his work as the country's top man.

It would be of no surprise if Terry, who is under siege from a nation full of tut-tutters, would want to pack his bags early for South Africa, where his on-field exploits, rather than those conducted in the privacy of his bedroom, would make the news of the day.

The rush to take the moral high-ground on this issue on all sides has been hectic and disturbing. In fact, the only members of the whole sordid affair to come out of this with any form of class are the two people most adversely affected, Wayne Bridge and Terry's wife. Neither has made any public comment, with Bridge saying that he will never speak about the issue.

However, while Bridge is determined to remain silent, the actions of his Manchester City team-mates have simply poured more fuel on the fire. While the decision to wear 'Team Bridge' shirts under their kit was meant as an act of solidarity, instead it has sparked an inter-club war and has, according to British tabloids, even divided City, with some English players refusing to wear the shirt as it would further politicise the situation.

Would it not suit the likes of Carlos Tevez to become complicit in a campaign which could destroy morale in the English team in the lead-up to the World Cup? While Tevez may not be aware of the impact of his actions, he needs to be careful of how they are perceived among the nationalist fervour which is gripping England ahead of this World Cup.

The issue of whether Terry leads England to the