Yeah, this is a crazy one. The next couple of years are likely to determine the future of South Africa for good or ill. Zuma looks set to be the next president without much contest. Maybe. The ruling party, the ANC, is actually a tripartite alliance, made up of the ANC (African National Congress), the SACP (South African Communist Party) and COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions). This might be the straw that finally splits them.
Zuma is a highly controversial figure...The leader of the (traditionally and predominantly) Xhosa party, he is himself a Zulu, and he brought many Zulu's to the ANC from the Inkatha Freedom Party, the traditionally and predominantly Zulu political party. He was under investigation of corruption, his business partner was jailed for corrupt dealings, he was accused (unjustly I personally believe) of rape and aquitted. He talks a good talk, telling people what they want to hear. The question is will he deliver. Also, his supporters are frequently quite militant, and have claimed publicly that they are willing to kill for him. He's also known for singing a traditional struggle song,
Bring me my machine gun at political rallies.
A lot of white South African's certainly fear that his presidency will be the first steps on the same path Zimbabwe followed. I'm personally not that pessimistic, but I am going to be watching with interest.
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