Saturday 20 September 2008

Crisis in Azania?

So soon after his 'triumph' in Zimbabwe, South African President Thabo Mbeki is on his way out. As I write, the ANC has recalled him, in effect, forcing him to resign only a few months before he completes his second and final term. Whatever the accusations of political interference in ANC President Jacob Zuma's corruption trial, this move by the ruling party appears to be very mistimed, ill-judged and overly vindictive. Certainly Zuma and his supporters have been mightily aggrieved and incensed at Mbeki 's attempts to derail his now seemingly unhindered march to the Presidency. However, as a national leader and the presumptive future President of South Africa, Zuma should have taken the moral high ground (which he can afford to do, since barring any calamity he is headed for the top office) and reined in his supporters and allowed Mbeki to complete his constitutional mandate as the democratically elected head of state. With its pre-eminent status in Africa and as hosts of the 2010 World Cup, significant attention will always be on South Africa and the events of recent days will do harm to the standing of the country, investor confidence, the prospects of a successfully hosted World Cup. Lets wait and see! One hopes sanity will prevail and cool heads will pull Africa's beacon from the brink.