Personal thought on political situation in South Africa

A friend from overseas asked me this week what I thought about the ruling concerning Jacob Zuma, and I guess the next question that follows this weekend is what I feel with regard Thabo Mbeki and his resignation.

I am no political commentator, and I know well enough that what I think one thing is going to happen in a political arena, another generally does!

But the transition of power from Mbeki to Zuma was always going to happen, and the two questions really were when and how. These are now answered, though the “how” remains a little clouded in mystery.

With regard the view of myself and people around me, I think we generally feel that this was going to happen, that perhaps a new energy will be injected into the government, and yet at the same time, perhaps a new direction – and it is perhaps the direction more than anything that is a concern.

It was very worrying to me to see the mass action that was threatened prior to the announcement of the ruling in the Zuma case. I certainly got the feeling that, regardless of where guilt lay or didn’t lie, the country got a better result through the case being dismissed – as for it to have gone ahead would have triggered mass action and public demonstrations that have long not been seen here. Possibly with violent outcomes.

And one has to wonder if that will be a theme going into a new era in South Africa?
President Mbeki has just made a speech on national TV, lauding the achievements of successive governments he has been part of since 1994, and saying how these governments have always upheld and defended the judiciary in the country. Whether this is true or not might only be revealed in any subsequent judicial findings – but more to the point is whether this defence of the judiciary will continue in the future. Certainly there were some worrying signs in the past few weeks.

South Africa continues to be a strong economic force in Africa and within the global market, and this must continue in the future. For the sake of the country and the future of its people, there surely can only be one direction that the government can choose.

Let’s hope that is the direction chosen.