tagged w/ ANC
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Aleading black South African commentator has uttered the dreaded “Z” word, a sentiment that has been considered too terrible to think for ordinary people and considered near-treasonous in the upper reaches of the ruling African National Congress.
“Hardly a decade from now, Zimbabwe will be our destination, our reality,” wrote Barney Mthombothi in his column in this weekend’s Financial Mail, South Africa’s equivalent of The Economist.
Mr Mthombothi, one of his country’s finest journalists, was commenting in the course of an analysis on the dire situation in neighbouring Zimbabwe where, he said, life had become “hell on earth”.
The tragedy is not simply that Mugabe has destroyed his own country, Mr Mthombothi went on to say. “He has exported the cancer. He’s poisoned the well. He’s contaminated the politics of the region, especially South Africa. Our politicians have learnt from the master’s knee – the buck-passing, blame everything on imperialists and apartheid;
the reckless and incendiary language; the refusal to see reason or deal with reality even as it stares you in the face.
“Our people are increasingly suspicious or even frightened by the actions of their own government. It can no longer be trusted to do what’s right by them.”
Mr Mthombothi’s apocalyptic warning – mirrored by other heavyweight analysts – comes as the global spotlight zeroes in on South Africa, with scarcely 40 more days to go before the country flings its doors open to humanity as it hosts football’s World Cup.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/world-news/is-south-africa-turning-into-zimbabwe-1.1022908Aleading black South African commentator has uttered the dreaded “Z” word,... more
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South African judge to hand down final decision on previous corruption charges on Jan 12th 2009.
South African state lawyers launched an appeal against the dismissal of corruption charges against controversial ANC leader Jacob Zuma on Friday. South Africa’s national prosecuting authority the NPA is seeking to have a high court ruling from September 12th overturned on appeal. The judge accused former South African president Thabo Mbeki’s government of interfering in the case for political reasons. Mbeki denies the charge. Zuma was facing a charge of racketeering, four charges of corruption, a charge of money laundering and 12 charges of fraud, stemming from a controversial 5 billion dollar 1999 arms deal.
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http://current.com/items/89525291/splinter_faction_challenges_anc.htmSouth African judge to hand down final decision on previous corruption charges on Jan... more
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Adam Habib: The split will create a dynamic of political accountability within the system.
South africa’s ruling party the African national congress or ANC has a new breakaway faction. This follows the ousting of south African President Thabo Mbeki involved in a bitter dispute with his political rival Jacob Zuma. Zuma defeated Mbeki to ascend to the ANC’s top position last year, prompting a split within the party. Although the splinter faction highlights the discord within the ANC, Professor Adam Habib believes this development "will create a dynamic of political accountability within the system." The new faction is yet to be named.
Professor Adam Habib is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Advancement at The University of Johannesburg. He is the founding Director of The Centre for Civil Society, and was previously appointed to The Human Science Research Council in South Africa. The author of numerous books and papers, he is also a well-known political analyst and commentator on South African television.
Related Story:
http://current.com/items/89576463/appeal_court_to_rule_on_zuma_in_2009.htmAdam Habib: The split will create a dynamic of political accountability within the... more
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South Africa's president, Thabo Mbeki, yesterday announced his decision to resign after nine years in office. The announcement came shortly after the country's ruling party, the African National Congress, issued the historic resolution to request his departure. The rupture centres around Mbeki's alleged misuses of power.
Party Secretary General Gwede Mantashe told reporters Mbeki had agreed to the decision, adding, "He did not display shock. He welcomed the news and agreed that he is going to participate in the process and the formalities."
The split marks the culmination of a bitter power struggle between Mbeki and his political rival, ANC leader Jacob Zuma, and could destabilise South Africa if many other cabinet ministers pursue threats to resign in solidarity. South Africa's president, Thabo Mbeki, yesterday announced his decision to resign... more
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The office of South African President Thabo Mbeki has denied a newspaper report claiming that a German firm paid him millions to approve an arms deal.
Mr Mbeki's office said he had never received money from the firm. It called the report in South Africa's Sunday Times a "hotch-potch recycling of allegations that have from time to time been peddled" over the arms deal. The paper said MAN Ferrostaal paid Mr Mbeki 30m rand (£2.1m at current rates) to guarantee a submarine contract. The Sunday Times said its story was based on a secret report by an unnamed UK risk consultancy, commissioned by a central European manufacturer that faced a hostile bid from MAN Ferrostaal.
Read more...The office of South African President Thabo Mbeki has denied a newspaper report... more
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The leader of South Africa's governing ANC, Jacob Zuma, is due to appear in court in a new effort to have corruption charges against him dropped.
Mr Zuma, 66, hopes to remove the last obstacle in his way to becoming South Africa's next president. The former deputy president stands accused of corruption, fraud, racketeering and money-laundering over a controversial arms deal. Hundreds of his supporters held an overnight rally outside the court. Thousands more are expected to arrive at the court in Pietermaritzburg. This was to have been the start of Jacob Zuma's corruption trial but the ANC leader is challenging the state's decision to prosecute him, the BBC's Peter Biles reports from the city.
The shadow of corruption has been hanging over Mr Zuma since 2005 when he was sacked as South Africa's deputy president. He denies the charges laid against him and says he has been the victim of a political conspiracy. He also says that because of the lengthy delays he can no longer get a fair trial, and wants the case dismissed. His supporters outside the high court have promised to bring the city to a virtual standstill during his court appearance.
The leadership of the ruling ANC is also standing squarely behind him, our correspondent notes. The party says it expects Mr Zuma to be its candidate for president in next year's election, when Thabo Mbeki steps down. The leader of South Africa's governing ANC, Jacob Zuma, is due to appear in court... more
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