SideShowBob

Has anyone been following the goings on in South Africa with regards the presidency of the ANC? (and therefore ultimately the countries presidency).

The country seemed to be developing really well with ten years of economic growth, then for some reason their people decide to elect someone who is destined to take the country back a hundred years and potentially turn it into another Zimbabwe!!

This is a man who is on charges for corruption and rape, and in a country ravaged by AIDS told the court that he couldnt have caught AIDS from the girl he raped because he took a shower afterwards!!!! What the hell??!! How can this person be good for the country, and why would people believe he is and make him president?

I think the countries saving grace will be the 8 - 10 million people who have benefitted from the economic growth, you now have millions of people who previously couldnt afford to live who now have nice cars and homes, and have really made something of themselves under a free government with fair policies and equality, and these people plus the economy should ensure that even someone like Zuma wont be able to undo all the good. International interests may suffer initially when Zuma becomes president, but should recover providing he doesnt do anything too stupid.

Usually the one thing you can rely on is the greed of the leaders, and he must know that a stable country means more money for him, so hopefully he keeps things stable. No doubt a lot needs to change, but he needs to realise it takes time, and throwing the country into turmoil helps no one, but we shall see.

Anyone have a view on it? expecting another Zimbabwe? and anyone live over there with a viewpoint?

spireite

Yep this is another zimbabwe destined to happen .But at the end of the day they voted in Mandella who was known to have been a terrorist .

David Lock

Isn't Zuma in court soon over corruption charges?

It will be interesting to see whether he nobbles the judiciary or whether they have the ***** to convict him properly if he is found guilty.

Is it the World Cup they are hosting?? I think I'll give that a miss.....

========

Little bit unfair on Mandella. I don't want to use the "Freedom fighter" cliche but things did need change when he was a young man. But he served his time and came out the better for it. Pity there aren't more young Mandellas fighting the cause for justice in Zimbabwe perhaps? dl

Leslie

Mandela was "guilty" of fighting against apartheid!

Les

r32

Been talking to a South African guy at work, he went home for Xmas. You wouldnt say it was doing well if you spoke with him. Its starting to head the same way as Zimbabwe. Most of the technical people, the planners, engineers etc are leaving in droves. There are daily electrical cuts as the system cant cope with the the natural growth, they have no plans for increased capacity in electrical generation or water supply. Planned maintenance isnt done, things dont get worked on until some thing breaks. They have a policy of moving out white experienced people out to be replaced by inexperienced blacks (the BEI) the Black Employment Initiative.
University or college passes have dropped to an all time low. Basic infrastructure is starting to fail. Now you have this tribal lunatic in charge.....
Watch this space.

The Zohan

Very interesting and very telling...

andythejock01wrx

Has to be said, looking at what's going on in Kenya it doesn't seem to take much for africans to revert to their tribal divisions.

Zuma seems a real loose cannon - accused of rape, acquitted but as above had no real knowledge (or concern) about the AIDS risk. And corrupt even before he get's into power !

spireite

This doesn't mean he wasn't a terrorist

SJ_Skyline

I've asked a couple of South Africans I work with on their thoughts about Mandela. It's also worth doing some further reading about his time with Umkhonto we Sizwe. I've changed my opinion as a result - I don't think he was an angel but neither does he deserve the moniker "terrorist".

spireite

Terrorist watch!

Leslie

Bit like one or two of those chaps sitting in our parliament then!

Les

SideShowBob

Is South Africa's economy not that much stronger than Zimbabwes? It seems completely rediculous for a government to push the country towards disaster, but then you look at any country in Africa and the governmets are pure corruption, living like kings while the people starve, so I suppose Zuma will think in a short sighted manner and not care whether it does well or not in the long run, just seems such a pity that a country with all that potential should be ruined through political tyrants. Cant beleive the populace are taken in by it, brains optional then.

It's especially dissapointing since it seemed like a country with a future a few years ago, why cant African countries run a country properly, they dont seem able to do anything right, and rely on aid from foreign countries when they have more natural resources than anywhere else in the world.

OllyK

At one time, Zimbabwe had a very strong economy

I think much goes back to tribalism. Much of the issue in Kenya goes back to this as well. The president pours more money etc in to his tribal homeland than other areas. The cencus figures are then corrupted so that these tribal homelands appear to be the most populace areas of the country assuring the presidents ongoing support from the "majority" of the population.

Greed, power and tribalism.

spireite

True