Zuma's Revenge

Is South Africa's embattled president finally getting tough on corruption? Or just going after his enemies?

BY KAREN LEIGH | NOVEMBER 14, 2011

JOHANNESBURG – When South African President Jacob Zuma fired two cabinet ministers and suspended his police chief in late October, questions swirled as to whether he had finally sent an effective, well-intentioned message to the notoriously corrupt officials of Africa's largest economy -- or whether he was merely using the guise of reform to shore up waning popular support as he prepares for reelection.

Additionally, the firing on Thursday, Nov. 10, of Zuma's popular main detractor and fellow African National Congress (ANC) party member Julius Malema, leader of the 350,000-strong ANC Youth League, points to the president's desire to keep his party unified as it prepares for national elections in December 2012. It will be the first time Zuma -- who ousted predecessor Thabo Mbeki in an internal party coup in 2007 -- has actually run for president.

The decisive action against both corruption and Malema -- a 30-year-old rabble-rouser other ANC leaders have labeled an embarrassment -- prove Zuma isn't taking any chances. The question is whether the president waited too long to act and whether his actions sent a loud enough message -- and whether the moves are too little, too late. His grip on power could already be slipping. A September poll from the South African marketing group TNS showed that 45 percent of adults in metropolitan areas approved of the job Zuma was doing, compared with 48 percent just six months before.

"He would have looked a hell of a lot better if he'd taken this action a hell of a lot earlier," says David Lewis, head of Corruption Watch, a new agency founded by the South African labor organization Cosatu. "I can think of few democracies in the world where they wouldn't have been gone ages ago. Zuma's had a lot of time to test the water."

The two October dismissals are the second time this year that Zuma has rejuggled his cabinet, attempting to appease critics who say he is too soft on corruption. Two prominent public aides, Cooperative Governance Minister Sicelo Shiceka (in charge of monitoring local governments) and Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, the minister of public works, were let go, accused by Zuma of malpractice while in office.

The president's efforts to show a newfound dedication to eradicating corruption have so far been met with skepticism. Many in South Africa's political class believe Zuma has long benefited financially from corruption.

Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images

 SUBJECTS: AFRICA
 

Karen Leigh is Time's West Africa correspondent.

JOHNNPARKER

4:56 AM ET

November 15, 2011

Zuma

Like your article says, it is a pity it has taken Zuma so long to get rid of Malema. Only time will tell what happens next.

LPN programs

 

CHRIS SCHERRER

2:02 AM ET

November 16, 2011

Zuma, Malema and understanding the legacies of Apartheid

Karen Leigh is Time’s West Africa correspondent—how come she does not mention nor understand some long-term legacies of Apartheid? Her nicely written report titled ‘Zuma’s Revenge’ seems as aggressive as empty, with little understanding of the real issues at work in a former racist dictatorship, whose legacies are still overly powerful and destructive, in full sight for everyone! Already strange enough her informers are mostly white people while most South Africans are black... Her slander vs. Zuma combines hearsay with a complete abstraction from context and history, as if Ms. Leigh would have never heard of what the problem was in South Africa. It seems not so difficult to remember the world’s most atrocious racist dictatorship of God-chosen white people who dominated everyone else, Asians, ‘colored people’ and mainly indigenous South Africans whose labour was the engine for the white master class’s accumulation of capital and lavish lifestyle. Remember, it took a strange alliance of (1) local political actors such as ANC, PAC, CP, and the trade unions, (2) the UN embargo—though weakened and prolonged by Swiss banks collaboration & greed, with the gold going there ‘secretly’, in circumvention of sanctions—and, importantly, (3) the black nannies, who have cared for generations of white kids, to finally bring down the last openly racist dictatorship, as for Africa! Indeed, there is still too much open and hidden racism in the word, in Africa and well beyond.
CP Scherrer, HPI-HCU

 

THOUGHTFORFOOD

3:32 PM ET

November 16, 2011

Empty bellicosity

While the good Dr Sherrer is good at highlighting the legacy of apartheid from his liberal ivory tower (and yes, the legacies are numerous, I don't disagree!) where, pray tell, can he draw the link between these atrocious years and Zuma's current management skills?

Being an expert in conflict studies, Sherrer is surely aware of Zuma's exceptional negotiating prowess - demonstrating that, despite the pernicious effects of apartheid, Zuma rose above his (then white-assigned) lot.

What is being questioned, however, is the reasoning for his waiting for so long to clamp down, in light of his dithering for so long in so many areas, ranging from economics to party leadership. Sherrer's fascinating trip about racist dictatorships is clearly about as well placed as Zuma's current intentions.

Perhaps if Sherrer was also closer to what is actually happening he could provide a more valid critique of the article. He might note the belligerent, white-dominated business environment Zuma and his government still encounter to today, or he may even cite the lack of a cohesive black-dominated opposition party, or many other valid issues... were he actually on the ground... in South Africa.

 

JEAN RACINE

3:35 PM ET

November 17, 2011

Parachute journalism!

As this response so masterfully puts it:
http://africasacountry.com/2011/11/17/parachute-journalism/

 

BONGOMUFFIN

2:10 AM ET

November 18, 2011

Oh dear me...

What an insignificant contribution to any international understanding of the ANC and South Africa,

Good job to Africa's a Country for kicking the necessary a.ss.

Read a little, Ms. Leigh... or at least speak to a few more South Africans.