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11 December – 17 December 2012
Issue 493
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DOES ZUMA DESERVE TO BE RE-ELECTED?
It is highly likely Jacob Zuma will be re-elected as the head of South Africa’s ruling party this week. We weigh up his successes and failures by MILTON LINDSAY
A
HEAD of the ANC’s long-awaited elective conference which starts in Mangaung, Free State on Sunday 16 December, political analysists believe it is highly likely Jacob Zuma will be re-elected as the head of South Africa’s ruling party. This is despite three out of nine provincial branches and the ANC Youth League choosing deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe as their preferred candidate for leader. Should Zuma emerge victorious at the end of the conference on Thursday 20 December, he is set to remain president of South Africa. However, in the five years since he ousted Thabo Mbeki to take the party’s top spot, his popularity has waned and he has been tarnished by a series of scandals. These include charges that he misused state funds to pay for the $27m renovation to his home in Nkandla. Nevertheless, there are a number of reasons that indicate Zuma deserves to remain in office. Perhaps his biggest accomplishment has been in the country’s battle against HIV/Aids. In 2009 Zuma introduced a policy that called for more aggressive treatment for HIV-positive pregnant women and children. Zuma’s fight against HIV/Aids represented a complete shift from his predecessor Mbeki, who drew international criticism for his position on the pandemic. Since then, the
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INSIDE:
Getting high in Scotland | p14
NEW ROMANTICS : We interview gorgeous, charming and talented South African vocal quartet Romanz, who are bringing their ‘poperatic’ sound to London with a concert this Sunday 16 December. Win tickets to the show and a copy of their new album, With All My Heart. See page 6.
programmes put in place have made significant inroads in raising awareness about the disease. Moreover, South Africa’s economy has managed to recover from the 2008 financial crisis, growing over 4.5%. But Zuma’s most significant economic achievement thus far may be overseeing South Africa’s admittance into Brics – the economic club of the world’s premier emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India and China. By becoming a member of this invitation-only group, South Africa gained huge clout in the global
economy. Despite these successes during Zuma’s presidency, SA continues to face a number of stark realities. The ongoing labour strife in the mining and transportation sectors have proven additional problems for Zuma, as some critics maintain that he has not done enough to resolve the crisis, which has been extremely detrimental to the mining industry and the national economy as a whole. Critics charge that Zuma has done little to address the unemployment rate, which has risen 4% to 24.9% in the years he has been in office.
Another area where many feel Zuma has also fallen short is improving the socio-economic prospects for black South Africans. The unemployment rate for blacks is 29% – six times higher than white South Africans. While Zuma has directed billions of rands towards improving economic infrastructure, little has been done to improve the quality of life in poorer communities, which continue to be deprived of basic services. Do you think Zuma will be re-elected? Tell us at www. thesouthafrican.com/news
Road tripper Colin Macrae goes wild in the Scottish Highlands where with the help of social media and readers of The South African he discovers a land where beauty is everywhere and whisky is god.
South African Property Monthly | p9 Drool over the most desirable properties for sale in SA and get some buying advice in this month’s pull-out property supplement.
Power hungry African countries turn East | p9 African countries are turning to the East for funding and technology to drive their expanding economies, challenging Western multinationals’ past dominance.
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