Fade Out

Bring me my populist Zim policy buddy!

Here is an interesting story on Zuma's two (current) wives. It would appear that he is in the process of paying lobola on what will be the third. He is divorced from Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and another wife Kate committed suicide in 2000.
The contents of Kate's suicide note were recently in the news as part of a "smear campaign" against Zuma, read the article here and draw your own conclusions.

In case you want some more overview of Zuma and the world that my be SA with him as president: Newsweek story here, Zuma's Ladies, who will be first lady?

"We're very worried that this leader had relations with a woman who regarded him as a parent and, although he is very likeable, we have to ask ourselves: 'What is happening in the ANC?'." - Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

I take it all back!

In a 180 I now like Zuma. From the Cape Argus article here.

Taking a dig at Mbeki's policy of "quiet diplomacy" towards Zimbabwe, Zuma said it was tragic that there were world leaders who witnessed repression and pretended that it was not happening or was exaggerated.

"When history eventually deals with the dictators, those who stood by and watched the deterioration of nations should bear the consequences," Zuma said.

Carry on my fair populist! Give 'em hell.

The Zuma Legal Troubles (pt1)

The Beeb has a good article providing a time line of Zuma's past legal issues, here.

June 2005
Mr Zuma's close associate Schabir Shaik found guilty of fraud and corruption in connection with a $4.8bn arms deal.
Judge Hilary Squires said there was evidence of "a mutually beneficial symbiosis" and that payments by Shaik to Mr Zuma "can only have generated a sense of obligation in the recipient".
(Here is info about the trial)

June 2005
Sacked by President Thabo Mbeki as South Africa's deputy president after an outcry over Shaik's conviction.

October 2005
Charged with corruption.
Weeks later the HIV-positive daughter of a family friend accuses him of rape.

February 2006
Mr Zuma goes on trial for rape. He denied the charges.

April 2006
Acquitted of rape.
But criticised in the press for his remarks about sex:

* that he knew she wanted to have sex with him because she was wearing a short traditional wrap-around
* that it was against his Zulu culture to turn down a woman
* and that he did not use a condom but took a shower to "protect" against HIV infection.

At the time, he was head of South Africa's Aids council.

May 2006
ANC votes to reinstate him in his party duties.

September 2006
His corruption trial is struck from the court list when the prosecution asks for yet another delay to gather evidence.

November 2007
The court of appeal opens the way for charges to be brought again when it rules that the seizure by police of incriminating documents from his home and office was legal.

December 2007
ANC elects him as party president, defeating Mr Mbeki in a bitter vote, making him favourite to become South Africa's next president, after elections due in 2009.

Director of public prosecutions Mokotedi Mpshe announces that there is sufficient evidence to bring corruption charges. (Today's story here)

In other news Manuel says he will not quit early.

Three guesses as to who won...

and the first two don't count.
NYTimes article here.

Scholar and political analyst Xolela Mangcu said in a June speech, “There is nothing about his public actions that suggests he is a populist, that he would return power to the poor.”

I guess only time will tell many things about this situation. The race is on, Zuma versus the impending corruption charges.

Votes are being tallied as we speak,

Voting is under way! The end of the ANC is nigh!
Trevor Manuel weighs in on Zuma and his chief strategist, Mo Shaik, here.

Manuel said his plea to Shaik was simple: "It has taken 96 years of the most unimaginable toil and sacrifice to build the ANC into this formidable movement. It could be destroyed in five days at Polokwane. Don't do it. The ethos of the ANC over all its life has been Umfutho Kubantu, a movement of the people at its service. You have no right to turn this organisation into something that serves your ego."

This is in response to what Shalik had said inferring that perhaps Zuma could find a spot for Manuel, if he were willing to be flexible...

Gauteng Premier Mbhazima Shilowa mentions that at least Mbeki wasn't a populist scamp. Oh wait that's what I said... Here's what he said.

Zuma vs. is the ANC?

Things are heating up within the ANC, creating a sort of internal two party system within South Africa's only viable political party. At the beginning of the ANC election conference Jacob Zuma's supporters set the tone by heckling the opposition, here.
This story has many interesting sides. Will the ANC implode? Does Mbeki deserve to have this happen to him? Is Zuma even a viable political leader or is this just the trappings of populism with some tribal overtones? This article from US Politics Today touches on a few of these issues.
Nelson Mandela has added his thoughts on the leadership rift:

"Whatever decision you are to make at this conference, including decisions about leadership positions in the organization, let the noble history of the ANC guide you, Of course it saddens us to see and hear of the nature of the differences currently in the organization."

Has Mbeki been good for South Africa? One has to wonder if the certain to come fallout of the ANC's struggles will have any change on the impact of Mbeki's relative silence towards and about Mugabe as it is/relates to Mbeki's legacy. Two years is a long time.

And would a Zuma-in-office emulate the man who gave evidence in his rape trial and denounced gay marriage, or the man who apologised for both? We simply do not know.

Full story (from a year ago) about "some as President" thoughts.

Also in an unexpected move, Zanu-PF announced support of Robert Mugabe as their presidential candidate! Full story here.

Lesotho Promise

A photo of the diamond "Lesotho Promise." From the BBC's week in pictures, here, photo 6. The diamond in the photo is the largest of 26 diamonds cut out of "Lesotho Promise", which are all together worth $50 million! Full story here.

EU-African Summit Begins

Lisbon, Portugal The much debated EU-Africa Summit has commenced and is being boycotted by Gordon Brown and the heads of state from Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Cyprus. (here) Other EU leaders have chosen to show up and express their "strong" disapproval for Zimbabwe's human rights record. BBC overview story here.

"The current situation in Zimbabwe damages the image of the new Africa,'' German Chancellor Angela Merkel told representatives from 80 EU and African states in a keynote speech at the meeting attended by Mugabe. "Nothing can justify the intimidation of those holding different views and hindering freedom of the press.''

The BBC has a link to things expected to be discussed: here. In addition to much huffing and puffing on human rights, they will also talk about immigration, peace, trade, etc. Thabo Mbeki is scheduled to make a presentation on human rights today. No word if he will mention Bobby... Me thinks not.

Once a month, whether....

SA Miners are protesting today. Full story here.

South Africa's mining sector accounts for some 16% of the country's GDP.

It would appear that the strike extends to Lesotho as well, Public Eye story here.
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The Berea Plateau has a new HIV/AIDs clinic: here.
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Lesotho will adhere to the "One China" policy as long as China makes them, pays for them to do so, asks them to? Story here. Here is the wikipedia entry on the "one China policy" The US's policy is: "the United States acknowledges that Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China. The United States does not challenge that position."
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"Thinking the Unthinkable", a good primer on what a "Lesotho as part of South Africa" scenario might entail and what people think about it.