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Fortnightly Media Survey 18-29 Sept 2006.Pub FORTNIGHTLY MEDIA SURVEY September 18th - September 29th, 2006 60 Hume Road Länderbüro Südafrika Dunkeld 2196/Johannesburg Tel.: (0027)11 214 2900 Fax: (0027)11 214 2913/4 [email protected] Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Länderbüro Südafrika Cape Town: - Rumours are flying that the further losses in the currency, but it was seen forgetting one thing, that it is the president’s Western Cape’s Local Government Minister, as negative for financial markets because it prerogative to fire and hire Mp and/or Cabi- Richard Dyantyi, is planning to use municipal could point to a widening rift within the gov- net. It is therefore highly unlikely that Mbeki laws to remove Cape Town’s DA mayor erning ANC. At face value the ruling fa- would reinstate Zuma as the country’s deputy Helen Zille from office. It was reported that voured the popular politician’s bid to succeed president The Sowetan is running a reader Dyantyi plans to use either the Local Govern- President Thabo Mbeki, but it stopped short survey to get public views on a Zuma presi- ment and Municipal Structures Act or the of completely dismissing the case, leaving the dency, people are asked to call and vote Yes Western Cape Determination of Types of Mu- open possibility that state prosecutors could or No on whether Zuma should be the coun- nicipalities Act to do away with Cape Town’s file a new indictment later. However, this try’s next president. (Sowetan 27.09.2006) executive mayor system. Analyst said if the could fuel the argument that there is a con- MEC opts for the provincial legislation Zille spiracy against JZ if the National Prosecuting could soon be out of a job or see her role re- Authority reinstates the charges. The ANC Youth League was so jovial about duced to a ceremonial one. If the Local Gov- the court ruling to an extent they were sarcas- ernment Municipal Structure’s Act is chosen It is obvious that Jacob Zuma is on high, tic when they urged the Human Rights Com- this could result in a 10-member committee firstly he was cleared of the rape allegations mission to investigate the National Prosecut- with four seats going to the ANC, four to the against him, reinforcing arguments by his ing Authority for allegedly treating ANC dep- DA and two to the ID, and smaller parties backers that he had been set up by his 31-year uty president Jacob Zuma unfairly. The could lose their influence. old HIV-positive accuser. Judge Willem van league’s president Fikile Mbalula sarcasti- der Merwe found Zuma not guilty on May 4, cally remarked that SA Human Rights Com- Under the latter parties are allocated seats ruling that Zuma had had consensual sex with mission chairperson Jody Kollapen should according to the strength of their representa- the woman. Barely four months later, Zuma investigate a violation of Zuma’s rights, “as tion in the council. Should this materialise it was in court again, this time face-face with he had actually been very vocal about human would give the ANC and the Independent Judge Qed’usizi Msimang on charges of cor- rights violations”. This was referring to Kol- Democrats seats on the committee and strip ruption. The charges were thrown out, albeit lapen condemning the conduct of Zuma’s Zille of her executive status. The proposal is temporarily, by Msimang who poured scorn supporters, including some members of the seeking to scrap the current mayoral commit- on the state’s ability to prosecute. (Sowetan ANC Youth League, for allegedly intimidat- tee, where all the seats are held by Zille’s 21.09.2006) ing the woman who had accused the former Democratic Alliance and its allies, including deputy president of rape. Mbalula implied the African Christian Democratic Party, the The factions are emerging within the ruling that the same level of condemnation should United Democratic Movement and the Free- tripartite alliance and these developments be applied in the case of the NPA’s alleged dom Front Plus. In this system, the mayor injected renewed enthusiasm into Zuma sup- violation of Zuma’s rights. (Helen Zille) holds executive power, and she porters and strengthened the prospects of a has vowed to fight the proposal in the court of Zuma presidency in 2009. Zuma’s supporters, law. (Mail & Guardian 15.09.2006) including Cosatu and South African Students’ Cosatu: - Congress of South African Trade Organisation, have called for his reinstate- Union held its national congress at Gallagher Zuma: - The rand slipped 1,2 percent to ment as the deputy president of the country. Estate in Midrand. One of the major concerns R7,45 against the dollar on news that corrup- Zuma lost his position in June last year when discussed by delegates was the state of the tion charges against Jacob Zuma were thrown a high court judge found that he had a tripartite alliance, as it was perceived as weak. out of court. Analysts said uncertainty over “generally corrupt relationship” with con- There were also rumours that the Cosatu and the implications of the decision should curb victed fraudster Schabir Shaik. But they are SACP would pull out of the alliance because Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung 2 Länderbüro Südafrika their Big- Brother in the alliance (the ANC) dent of the ANC led the respective delega- alliance left. According to Laurence, another is not singing the same song that they are tions. The meeting resulted from the common option for the SACP/Cosatu is that they de- willing to dance to. Recently the SACP concern of all parties arising from the funda- cide to withdraw from the alliance and con- blamed President Thabo Mbeki for marginal- mental and deep-seated economic, social and centrate on defending their control of the izing the left, essentially those people don’t political crisis into which the Botha regime ANC per se (provided the Zuma faction does- agree with his economic policies. Some po- and the apartheid system of national oppres- n’t gain party control at its national confer- litical analysts say, “to put it in a classical sion and class exploitation have plunged our ence in 2007). But considering that currently Marxist jargon”; “There is a concern that the country. One could view Mbeki’s reminder of 73 of the 279 ANC MPs are communists, it ANC has been hijacked by Bonarpatist and the past as an endeavour to dilute any at- would be difficult for the SACP to match the comprador elements whose agenda is unfa- tempts by the left from pulling out of the tri- ANC if its decision to go alone changes its vourable to the working class interest. partite alliance. (The Star 19.09.2006) status to that of ANC rival, however one could agree with Laurence that the Zuma fac- The left, as they are affectionately known, As the federation ended their congress, it was tor alter the mix. (The Citizen 20.09.2006) argue that the ANC is now led by a dictator concluded with a summary of five Cosatu who doesn’t allow opposition. They claim his options, with most attention devoted to one, behaviour has unfortunately served the inter- which aims to nearly double Cosatu’s mem- PAC: - The newly elected Pan African Con- ests of the emerging black capitalist elite who bership. It urges “trained cadres to swell the gress president Letlapa Mphahlele made a are essentially agents of established white ranks of the ANC” and transform it into an promise to revive the party to reclaim its for- capital. It was then believed that the congress “ANC led by working class at all levels and mer glory and place in the political main- would review their stand on the tripartite alli- which is not hostile to socialism”. Patrick stream. Mphahlele said this after being ance, as they are not happy with the status Laurence, the editor of Focus said it remains elected to succeed Motsoko Pheko at party’s quo. It has been reported, however, that presi- to be seen whether the combined drive by the national congress held in Qwaqwa, Free State. dent Thabo Mbeki sent his best wishes to the SACP and Cosatu (and sympathisers in the He concedes that it will not be easy to lead a federation ahead of their important congress, ANC) succeed in restoring working-class party that has been through so many rough but reminded the federation of an important hegemony, and reinstating socialism as the patches recently. However, he said “I want to meeting 20 years ago which lay the founda- main aim of the alliance? And will a success- send a strong message to the critics of the tions for the trade union movement in the ful palace coup by the left induce the nation- PAC who suggest that the party’s policies are country. alists to pull out of the alliance and possibly not relevant. the ANC itself? He claimed that lack of political education Then, “there was common understanding that the Pretoria regime and ruling class of South lets all sorts of ills creep in, as was evident Africa are powerless to provide any real and Laurence argues that in relation to the first during the congress where the contest for meaningful solutions to this general crisis. question the Zuma factor has changed the leadership was largely motivated by political That lasting solutions can only emerge from situation: the alliance between Zuma, the careerism. He said it is somehow scandalous the national liberation movement, headed by populist, and the socialist brigade may suc- that the PAC drifts from one office to another the ANC, and the entire democratic forces of ceed in making socialism the official political without a proper home, making the party un- our country, of which Cosatu is an important creed of the tripartite alliance and perhaps traceable to its members.
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