Anthony Penderis Political Articles
Reconciliation can heal wounds
http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/reconciliation-can-heal-wounds-1.52578
Reconciliation can heal wounds
It is time for South Africa to achieve its true potential on the world stage - as emissaries of racial unity
By Anthony Penderis Special to Gulf News
Published: 23:01 February 20, 2009
One nation inhabiting another's homeland; two peoples dwelling together under segregated conditions, breeding resentments and explosive acts of violence that would seem to have no workable solution in sight. The preceding description undoubtedly relates to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Yet it could also describe our own nation at one time - a South Africa bifurcated by racial separation under the system of Apartheid, seemingly unable to find a way to achieve reconciliation within its own borders.
In fact, the resemblances between the countries are more than superficial. South Africa and Israel have a strong legacy of relations dating back to the 1940s. It is a history sometimes ignominious with stories of collaboration over weapons development and trading; sometimes critical of one another's political situations; and sometimes ambassadorial - as Nelson Mandela's efforts post-apartheid evidenced.
Mandela's words during his 1999 visit explicated the links between the histories of South Africa and Israel: "To the many people who have questioned why I came, I say: Israel worked very closely with the Apartheid regime. I say: I've made peace with many men who slaughtered our people like animals. Israel cooperated with the apartheid regime, but it did not participate in any atrocities".
Clearly Mandela realised that the history of South Africa's struggle for peace in many ways mirrors that of Israel, and that the lessons learned by those who fought to achieve our current democracy could provide an invaluable template for the Middle East.
Where South Africa emerged from the reconciliation process as a unified, strengthened international force, an emblem of democratic success, the A Party believes that those same processes can be brought to bear on the Israeli/Palestinian situation, to bring about a true nonviolent unification.
The A Party would urge the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian factions to come together - realising that a lasting, worthwhile legacy cannot be won cheaply, that historical offences must be allowed to rest and cultural and religious differences laid aside.
South Africans have seen how the Truth and Reconciliation Commission achieved the unthinkable, in facilitating transparent communication and burying the spectre of dark oppression.
We believe that affirmative action, though flawed in its execution, has greatly succeeded in empowering South Africa's disenfranchised black people economically and socially. While we would hesitate to as Mandela is attributed draw explicit parallels between Apartheid and the Israeli-Palestinian State, we nevertheless recognise that the same barriers to peace operate in both situations. And we also believe that unification is possible through the same healing process of sincere, open communication.
The writer, A Party founder, spent six years of his life working in Dubai, so his perspective on the Middle Eastern situation is uniquely personal amongst South Africans.
He has worked closely with Arabian, Palestinian and colleagues from other nationalities, so he understands that a prescriptive approach will only breed resentment. And he firmly believes that peace and tolerance can be achieved. It is time for South Africa to achieve its true potential on the world stage - as emissaries of racial unity, of a peaceful end to centuries-old conflicts.
For too long the Middle East has been devastated by the irreconcilable wars between Israelis and Arabs - families have been shattered, once prosperous economies such as Lebanon ruined.
It is our responsibility to offer whatever advice we can, borne out of hard experience, to enable them to have a real future.
Anthony Penderis is a former Dubai expatriate who started his own political party, A Party, to take part in the 2009 General Election in South Africa.
Reconciliation can heal wounds
It is time for South Africa to achieve its true potential on the world stage - as emissaries of racial unity
By Anthony Penderis Special to Gulf News
Published: 23:01 February 20, 2009
One nation inhabiting another's homeland; two peoples dwelling together under segregated conditions, breeding resentments and explosive acts of violence that would seem to have no workable solution in sight. The preceding description undoubtedly relates to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Yet it could also describe our own nation at one time - a South Africa bifurcated by racial separation under the system of Apartheid, seemingly unable to find a way to achieve reconciliation within its own borders.
In fact, the resemblances between the countries are more than superficial. South Africa and Israel have a strong legacy of relations dating back to the 1940s. It is a history sometimes ignominious with stories of collaboration over weapons development and trading; sometimes critical of one another's political situations; and sometimes ambassadorial - as Nelson Mandela's efforts post-apartheid evidenced.
Mandela's words during his 1999 visit explicated the links between the histories of South Africa and Israel: "To the many people who have questioned why I came, I say: Israel worked very closely with the Apartheid regime. I say: I've made peace with many men who slaughtered our people like animals. Israel cooperated with the apartheid regime, but it did not participate in any atrocities".
Clearly Mandela realised that the history of South Africa's struggle for peace in many ways mirrors that of Israel, and that the lessons learned by those who fought to achieve our current democracy could provide an invaluable template for the Middle East.
Where South Africa emerged from the reconciliation process as a unified, strengthened international force, an emblem of democratic success, the A Party believes that those same processes can be brought to bear on the Israeli/Palestinian situation, to bring about a true nonviolent unification.
The A Party would urge the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian factions to come together - realising that a lasting, worthwhile legacy cannot be won cheaply, that historical offences must be allowed to rest and cultural and religious differences laid aside.
South Africans have seen how the Truth and Reconciliation Commission achieved the unthinkable, in facilitating transparent communication and burying the spectre of dark oppression.
We believe that affirmative action, though flawed in its execution, has greatly succeeded in empowering South Africa's disenfranchised black people economically and socially. While we would hesitate to as Mandela is attributed draw explicit parallels between Apartheid and the Israeli-Palestinian State, we nevertheless recognise that the same barriers to peace operate in both situations. And we also believe that unification is possible through the same healing process of sincere, open communication.
The writer, A Party founder, spent six years of his life working in Dubai, so his perspective on the Middle Eastern situation is uniquely personal amongst South Africans.
He has worked closely with Arabian, Palestinian and colleagues from other nationalities, so he understands that a prescriptive approach will only breed resentment. And he firmly believes that peace and tolerance can be achieved. It is time for South Africa to achieve its true potential on the world stage - as emissaries of racial unity, of a peaceful end to centuries-old conflicts.
For too long the Middle East has been devastated by the irreconcilable wars between Israelis and Arabs - families have been shattered, once prosperous economies such as Lebanon ruined.
It is our responsibility to offer whatever advice we can, borne out of hard experience, to enable them to have a real future.
Anthony Penderis is a former Dubai expatriate who started his own political party, A Party, to take part in the 2009 General Election in South Africa.
A vendor of peace and negotiation
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/a-vendor-of-peace-and-negotiation-1.314755
A vendor of peace and negotiation
Former South African president F.W. de Klerk surprised the world when he led his apartheid government through a peaceful transition of power to a black majority. He, along with Nelson Mandela, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for this courageous act.
By Anthony Penderis
Published: 00:00 February 26, 2004
Former South African president F.W. de Klerk surprised the world when he led his apartheid government through a peaceful transition of power to a black majority. He, along with Nelson Mandela, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for this courageous act.
Despite concerns that South Africa might be on a slippery slope and heading the same way as Zimbabwe, he is still committed to peace and negotiation and believes he did the right thing.
Gulf News had an exclusive interview with him at the Doha Development Forum last week.
As an African, what are your general perceptions of the Middle East today?
The current crises in the Middle East affect everyone's lives, not only in the developed world, but also the underdeveloped world. America and a number of other countries are so pre-occupied with the problems of the Middle East that they are not paying proper attention to problems elsewhere. From an African point of view, the solutions for troubled spots elsewhere are regarded as a lifebuoy to their own problems.
Your government managed a peaceful transition of power to a black majority. Are there any lessons to be learned from that experience by the Palestinians and Israelis?
Both parties need to restore credibility in each other through creative initiatives, otherwise no one will believe that the other is serious about creating two states. Prior to the 1994 transition of power, my government then decided to lift bans on all illegal organisations such as the ANC, the PAC and the Communist Party without any conditions.
The ANC (Mandela's party) responded by immediately suspending the armed struggle. Once again, without any conditions. In this way, both sides proved that they were serious about finding solutions even before they went to the negotiating table. Palestine and Israel should also negotiate directly with each other and not through third parties.
Can the South African constitution negotiated between your government and the ANC at the time serve as a model for the formation of a government in Iraq?
Iraq does not have a history of democracy and therefore the South African constitution cannot serve as a blueprint for Iraq.
In hindsight, the shortcoming of the South African constitutional model is that we should have opted for a form of federalism which prevents the dominance of one group over the other. Iraq, with its diverse population groups, should consider federalism in which greater autonomy and decision making is possible at regional level.
Apart from the problems of crime and AIDS in South Africa, reports of increased unemployment are surfacing in the media. What's happening to the South African economy?
The South African economy is growing but not fast enough to solve the problem of unemployment. In European terms, our economy is growing by about three per cent which is fairly acceptable and positive.
South Africa is abreast with technological developments in the rest of the world where you get a situation that even a growing company can employ fewer people. We need other solutions to solve our problem of joblessness.
Is black empowerment causing a "white flight" out of South Africa and also forcing private companies to look for opportunities elsewhere?
I believe that the private sector is handling black empowerment fairly well. South Africa has been isolated until recently and what we are witnessing now is the private sector trying out new avenues.
South African companies are prepared to take greater risks than their European and American counterparts. We are more robust and with our knowledge and gut feeling for Africa we are utilising opportunities that they let slip through their fingers. Whenever I see a South African company doing business abroad, it fills me with pride.
Is there a danger that South Africa can go the same route as Zimbabwe where the property of white farmers is simply being confiscated to the detriment of the economy?
That is a far-fetched opinion instilled by those who are against the new political scenario in South Africa anyway. Most of them would have voted against the new constitution and are racist in their way of thinking.
South Africa is different from all other sub-Saharan states in that our constitution contains a bill of rights that would make a Zimbabwe situation (of land grabbing) impossible. We also have a strong and healthy economy with a powerful private sector that does not exist in other African countries.
Why did the South African government not criticise Zimbabwe more openly?
I have been critical about our government's stance towards Zimbabwe, but perhaps too much is expected from South Africa. We are practically being made the culprit in the situation. What does the world expect? Must we invade Zimbabwe like America invaded to Iraq? Should we apply sanctions to let those who are dying of hunger and fleeing across the borders suffer even more? My answer to this is NO!
Only one solution remains and that is of moral pressure and conviction. I have criticised the South African government on this as well. There should have been more pressure at an earlier stage.
A lot has also been done behind the scenes between president Mbeki and president Obasanjo of Nigeria, but unfortunately South Africa does not have the support of the Southern African Development Council, SADEC, for stronger action against Zimbabwe.
Why did South Africa lose the opportunity to become the leader of sub-Saharan Africa?
South Africa is cautious on this front as we do not want to acquire the image that America has in the rest of the world. There is great sensitivity in the current leadership about becoming a big brother prescribing to the rest of the region.
Currently the political opposition in South Africa is not very strong. Is there a danger of South Africa becoming a one party state?
The basic South Africa democratic structure is very good, but the voting pattern is not. The healthiest type of democracy is where the opposition is almost in the position to overthrow the government of the day. I do not fear a one-party state for South Africa. Currently, the ANC holds two thirds of the vote and consists of an alliance with deep divisions on important matters.
Is that why you supported the idea that your old party, NNP, should move closer to the ANC in case of a future break-up?
Exactly. In the past the ANC was bound together by one common goal namely fighting apartheid. This has now disappeared and the signs of tension between them are so obvious that a reshuffle between the moderates and the rest is imminent.
A confrontational Westminster type of democracy is not suitable to South Africa anyway. I have always been in favour of power sharing between parties with broadly the same goal.
Concerns are surfacing in the South Africa press that the government might be prosecuting supporters of the old regime
A vendor of peace and negotiation
Former South African president F.W. de Klerk surprised the world when he led his apartheid government through a peaceful transition of power to a black majority. He, along with Nelson Mandela, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for this courageous act.
By Anthony Penderis
Published: 00:00 February 26, 2004
Former South African president F.W. de Klerk surprised the world when he led his apartheid government through a peaceful transition of power to a black majority. He, along with Nelson Mandela, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for this courageous act.
Despite concerns that South Africa might be on a slippery slope and heading the same way as Zimbabwe, he is still committed to peace and negotiation and believes he did the right thing.
Gulf News had an exclusive interview with him at the Doha Development Forum last week.
As an African, what are your general perceptions of the Middle East today?
The current crises in the Middle East affect everyone's lives, not only in the developed world, but also the underdeveloped world. America and a number of other countries are so pre-occupied with the problems of the Middle East that they are not paying proper attention to problems elsewhere. From an African point of view, the solutions for troubled spots elsewhere are regarded as a lifebuoy to their own problems.
Your government managed a peaceful transition of power to a black majority. Are there any lessons to be learned from that experience by the Palestinians and Israelis?
Both parties need to restore credibility in each other through creative initiatives, otherwise no one will believe that the other is serious about creating two states. Prior to the 1994 transition of power, my government then decided to lift bans on all illegal organisations such as the ANC, the PAC and the Communist Party without any conditions.
The ANC (Mandela's party) responded by immediately suspending the armed struggle. Once again, without any conditions. In this way, both sides proved that they were serious about finding solutions even before they went to the negotiating table. Palestine and Israel should also negotiate directly with each other and not through third parties.
Can the South African constitution negotiated between your government and the ANC at the time serve as a model for the formation of a government in Iraq?
Iraq does not have a history of democracy and therefore the South African constitution cannot serve as a blueprint for Iraq.
In hindsight, the shortcoming of the South African constitutional model is that we should have opted for a form of federalism which prevents the dominance of one group over the other. Iraq, with its diverse population groups, should consider federalism in which greater autonomy and decision making is possible at regional level.
Apart from the problems of crime and AIDS in South Africa, reports of increased unemployment are surfacing in the media. What's happening to the South African economy?
The South African economy is growing but not fast enough to solve the problem of unemployment. In European terms, our economy is growing by about three per cent which is fairly acceptable and positive.
South Africa is abreast with technological developments in the rest of the world where you get a situation that even a growing company can employ fewer people. We need other solutions to solve our problem of joblessness.
Is black empowerment causing a "white flight" out of South Africa and also forcing private companies to look for opportunities elsewhere?
I believe that the private sector is handling black empowerment fairly well. South Africa has been isolated until recently and what we are witnessing now is the private sector trying out new avenues.
South African companies are prepared to take greater risks than their European and American counterparts. We are more robust and with our knowledge and gut feeling for Africa we are utilising opportunities that they let slip through their fingers. Whenever I see a South African company doing business abroad, it fills me with pride.
Is there a danger that South Africa can go the same route as Zimbabwe where the property of white farmers is simply being confiscated to the detriment of the economy?
That is a far-fetched opinion instilled by those who are against the new political scenario in South Africa anyway. Most of them would have voted against the new constitution and are racist in their way of thinking.
South Africa is different from all other sub-Saharan states in that our constitution contains a bill of rights that would make a Zimbabwe situation (of land grabbing) impossible. We also have a strong and healthy economy with a powerful private sector that does not exist in other African countries.
Why did the South African government not criticise Zimbabwe more openly?
I have been critical about our government's stance towards Zimbabwe, but perhaps too much is expected from South Africa. We are practically being made the culprit in the situation. What does the world expect? Must we invade Zimbabwe like America invaded to Iraq? Should we apply sanctions to let those who are dying of hunger and fleeing across the borders suffer even more? My answer to this is NO!
Only one solution remains and that is of moral pressure and conviction. I have criticised the South African government on this as well. There should have been more pressure at an earlier stage.
A lot has also been done behind the scenes between president Mbeki and president Obasanjo of Nigeria, but unfortunately South Africa does not have the support of the Southern African Development Council, SADEC, for stronger action against Zimbabwe.
Why did South Africa lose the opportunity to become the leader of sub-Saharan Africa?
South Africa is cautious on this front as we do not want to acquire the image that America has in the rest of the world. There is great sensitivity in the current leadership about becoming a big brother prescribing to the rest of the region.
Currently the political opposition in South Africa is not very strong. Is there a danger of South Africa becoming a one party state?
The basic South Africa democratic structure is very good, but the voting pattern is not. The healthiest type of democracy is where the opposition is almost in the position to overthrow the government of the day. I do not fear a one-party state for South Africa. Currently, the ANC holds two thirds of the vote and consists of an alliance with deep divisions on important matters.
Is that why you supported the idea that your old party, NNP, should move closer to the ANC in case of a future break-up?
Exactly. In the past the ANC was bound together by one common goal namely fighting apartheid. This has now disappeared and the signs of tension between them are so obvious that a reshuffle between the moderates and the rest is imminent.
A confrontational Westminster type of democracy is not suitable to South Africa anyway. I have always been in favour of power sharing between parties with broadly the same goal.
Concerns are surfacing in the South Africa press that the government might be prosecuting supporters of the old regime
He's a survivor, but the president is pushing his luck
http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/he-s-a-survivor-but-the-president-is-pushing-his-luck-1.581946
He's a survivor, but the president is pushing his luck
Having initially attempted to ignore the controversy over his private life, Zuma has come out and made a public apology. The problem is, he has done this before
By Anthony Penderis,Special to Gulf News
Published: 00:00 February 13, 2010
Jacob Zuma is no stranger to controversy. Having been dismissed by Thabo Mbeki as deputy South African president, he went on to unseat his former boss and replace him. He has beaten charges of corruption and rape and been forced to apolgise for his comments about homosexuality. All this he has overcome, but a baby born out of wedlock now poses the greatest threat to his presidency
Image Credit: Ramachandra Babu/Gulf News
It cannot be disputed that South Africa's President Jacob Zuma is a survivor. Like the proverbial cat he always lands on his feet, however you throw him. After being fired as deputy president of the country for his alleged involvement in a weapon's bribery scandal, he got himself elected as the president of the ruling ANC party, ousting the then president Thabo Mbeki, the man who originally fired him. This secured him the position of president of South Africa in the last general election, not before he made sure that all remaining weapon's scandal charges against him were thrown out of court.
In the run-up to all of this he warded off rape charges by a HIV-positive woman and got out of it by only apologising for having unprotected sex with her. Another apology for his statement that gays should be beaten up got him off the hook once again.
His latest transgression, fathering a baby with a mistress while being married to three women, is yet another test for his surval instincts. Zuma apologised once again, as his pattern of behaviour would predict, but did he underestimate the power of sex this time?
The news that he fathered his 20th child out of wedlock with a friend's daughter was greeted with shock and revulsion all over the country. Since South Africa's Sunday Times broke the news on January 31, Zuma has made the headlines in just about every national and regional newspaper, television and radio station, while message boards and blogs came alive with commentary. While editorial columns mostly cautioned the president to act with respect and dignity, cartoonists, columnists and political opponents climbed in, depicting him either as a reckless philanderer, a gigolo or a sugar daddy, and a man who does not practice what he preaches.
Speaking to Gulf News, leading South African women's rights advocates were equally dismayed by their president's behaviour. Says Sally Schackleton, executive director of Women'sNet: "We as women's rights advocates feel terribly disappointed and betrayed by our president's actions and his comments". Wendy Isaack, manager of the legal department of People Opposing Women Abuse (Powa), was also highly critical of her president. "His pattern of behaviour not only undermines women's rights but also takes us many years back in our struggle for equality," she said.
The president's 20th child, named Thandekile Matina Zuma, was fathered with 39-year-old Sonono Khoza, the daughter of his long-time friend and prominent football boss Irvin Khoza. Public outrage was initially aimed at the fact that he had an illegitimate child with Sonono while already married to three women. Polygamy is a practice allowed in South Africa but frowned on by many.
Things, however, soon gathered momentum, with commentators pointing out that the president's actions send out mixed messages by contradicting the government's policy advocating safe sex (by using condoms) to stem the rate at which HIV/Aids is spreading in the country, the highest in the world. The fact that Zuma apologised after his acquittal in a rape trail in 2006, admitting that he "erred" in having unprotected sex with a HIV-positive person, now seems a lesson lost on him.
No comment
Initially the ANC, South Africa's ruling party, which put Zuma in power, was on the defensive. Presidency spokesman Vincent Magwenya claimed that the president has a right to privacy as enshrined in the Constitution. The ANC's youth leader, Julius Malema, took a similar line, and refused to comment on the accusations, telling journalists that they should be ashamed to ask such questions, "especially when [they concern] an elderly person". When questioned by The Sowetan, Sonono refused to admit the existence of the baby.
All of this soon changed when Zuma's office issued an official statement admitting that he had a relationship and a baby with Sonono Khoza. He confirmed that the formal acknowledgement of paternity and responsibility, including damage payments (inhlawulo), had been made. In the same statement, Zuma also lashed out at the media for "making money out of the matter". He added that they were in essence "questioning the right of the child to exist and, fundamentally, her right to life".
Zuma has altogether been married five times. He is currently married to Sizakele Khumalo (1973), Nompumelelo Ntuli (2008) and Tobeka Madiba-Zuma (2010). He divorced Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in 1998 and in 2000 his third wife, Kate Mantsho Zuma, whom he had five children with, committed suicide.
His polygamy once again came into the spotlight at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Although his response to a question about whether he loved all of his wives equally drew howls of laughter from a mainly male audience, others were less than amused. An editorial in Die Burger referred to this incident as an embarrassment for the country.
Women's rights groups are generally unified in their views on polygamy. It is seen as an oppressive and discriminatory practice against women, which normally only flourishes in societies in which women have no power. As Isaack from Powa blatantly puts it: "As a black Zulu feminist I have a problem with our president using culture and tradition to justify his practices. In many African cultures people also find this [polygamy] a problem".
Zuma has issued a formal apology in which he said: "I deeply regret the pain that I have caused to my family, the African National Congress, the [tripartite] alliance and South Africans in general." ANC spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi welcomed the statement, adding: "In his response the president has shown integrity and honesty, thereby taking the country and its citizenry into his confidence."
But is this one apology too many? During 2006, Zuma also had to apologise for saying, "When I was growing up an ungqingili [homosexual] would not have stood in front of me. I would knock him out". In a lead article for the Sunday Independent, political analyst Professor Adam Habib pointed out that "when you apologise one too many times the people can't take you seriously".
A statement on the website of the Democratic Alliance (the main opposition party) sums up the situation as follows: "If there is anything positive about this episode, it is that South Africa is getting to know the real Jacob Zuma, beyond the charm. The honeymoon, (in the figurative sense at least), is over".
After this debacle one wonders how much more the ANC will tolerate. Having got rid of their lame duck (The Economist) president Thabo Mbeki, they are now stuck with a PR nightmare (Cape Argus). Will Zuma survive his latest transgression? And if he does, what will happen should he falter yet again? Only time will tell.
- Anthony Penderis is a former Dubai journalist now living in South Africa.
He's a survivor, but the president is pushing his luck
Having initially attempted to ignore the controversy over his private life, Zuma has come out and made a public apology. The problem is, he has done this before
By Anthony Penderis,Special to Gulf News
Published: 00:00 February 13, 2010
Jacob Zuma is no stranger to controversy. Having been dismissed by Thabo Mbeki as deputy South African president, he went on to unseat his former boss and replace him. He has beaten charges of corruption and rape and been forced to apolgise for his comments about homosexuality. All this he has overcome, but a baby born out of wedlock now poses the greatest threat to his presidency
Image Credit: Ramachandra Babu/Gulf News
It cannot be disputed that South Africa's President Jacob Zuma is a survivor. Like the proverbial cat he always lands on his feet, however you throw him. After being fired as deputy president of the country for his alleged involvement in a weapon's bribery scandal, he got himself elected as the president of the ruling ANC party, ousting the then president Thabo Mbeki, the man who originally fired him. This secured him the position of president of South Africa in the last general election, not before he made sure that all remaining weapon's scandal charges against him were thrown out of court.
In the run-up to all of this he warded off rape charges by a HIV-positive woman and got out of it by only apologising for having unprotected sex with her. Another apology for his statement that gays should be beaten up got him off the hook once again.
His latest transgression, fathering a baby with a mistress while being married to three women, is yet another test for his surval instincts. Zuma apologised once again, as his pattern of behaviour would predict, but did he underestimate the power of sex this time?
The news that he fathered his 20th child out of wedlock with a friend's daughter was greeted with shock and revulsion all over the country. Since South Africa's Sunday Times broke the news on January 31, Zuma has made the headlines in just about every national and regional newspaper, television and radio station, while message boards and blogs came alive with commentary. While editorial columns mostly cautioned the president to act with respect and dignity, cartoonists, columnists and political opponents climbed in, depicting him either as a reckless philanderer, a gigolo or a sugar daddy, and a man who does not practice what he preaches.
Speaking to Gulf News, leading South African women's rights advocates were equally dismayed by their president's behaviour. Says Sally Schackleton, executive director of Women'sNet: "We as women's rights advocates feel terribly disappointed and betrayed by our president's actions and his comments". Wendy Isaack, manager of the legal department of People Opposing Women Abuse (Powa), was also highly critical of her president. "His pattern of behaviour not only undermines women's rights but also takes us many years back in our struggle for equality," she said.
The president's 20th child, named Thandekile Matina Zuma, was fathered with 39-year-old Sonono Khoza, the daughter of his long-time friend and prominent football boss Irvin Khoza. Public outrage was initially aimed at the fact that he had an illegitimate child with Sonono while already married to three women. Polygamy is a practice allowed in South Africa but frowned on by many.
Things, however, soon gathered momentum, with commentators pointing out that the president's actions send out mixed messages by contradicting the government's policy advocating safe sex (by using condoms) to stem the rate at which HIV/Aids is spreading in the country, the highest in the world. The fact that Zuma apologised after his acquittal in a rape trail in 2006, admitting that he "erred" in having unprotected sex with a HIV-positive person, now seems a lesson lost on him.
No comment
Initially the ANC, South Africa's ruling party, which put Zuma in power, was on the defensive. Presidency spokesman Vincent Magwenya claimed that the president has a right to privacy as enshrined in the Constitution. The ANC's youth leader, Julius Malema, took a similar line, and refused to comment on the accusations, telling journalists that they should be ashamed to ask such questions, "especially when [they concern] an elderly person". When questioned by The Sowetan, Sonono refused to admit the existence of the baby.
All of this soon changed when Zuma's office issued an official statement admitting that he had a relationship and a baby with Sonono Khoza. He confirmed that the formal acknowledgement of paternity and responsibility, including damage payments (inhlawulo), had been made. In the same statement, Zuma also lashed out at the media for "making money out of the matter". He added that they were in essence "questioning the right of the child to exist and, fundamentally, her right to life".
Zuma has altogether been married five times. He is currently married to Sizakele Khumalo (1973), Nompumelelo Ntuli (2008) and Tobeka Madiba-Zuma (2010). He divorced Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in 1998 and in 2000 his third wife, Kate Mantsho Zuma, whom he had five children with, committed suicide.
His polygamy once again came into the spotlight at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Although his response to a question about whether he loved all of his wives equally drew howls of laughter from a mainly male audience, others were less than amused. An editorial in Die Burger referred to this incident as an embarrassment for the country.
Women's rights groups are generally unified in their views on polygamy. It is seen as an oppressive and discriminatory practice against women, which normally only flourishes in societies in which women have no power. As Isaack from Powa blatantly puts it: "As a black Zulu feminist I have a problem with our president using culture and tradition to justify his practices. In many African cultures people also find this [polygamy] a problem".
Zuma has issued a formal apology in which he said: "I deeply regret the pain that I have caused to my family, the African National Congress, the [tripartite] alliance and South Africans in general." ANC spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi welcomed the statement, adding: "In his response the president has shown integrity and honesty, thereby taking the country and its citizenry into his confidence."
But is this one apology too many? During 2006, Zuma also had to apologise for saying, "When I was growing up an ungqingili [homosexual] would not have stood in front of me. I would knock him out". In a lead article for the Sunday Independent, political analyst Professor Adam Habib pointed out that "when you apologise one too many times the people can't take you seriously".
A statement on the website of the Democratic Alliance (the main opposition party) sums up the situation as follows: "If there is anything positive about this episode, it is that South Africa is getting to know the real Jacob Zuma, beyond the charm. The honeymoon, (in the figurative sense at least), is over".
After this debacle one wonders how much more the ANC will tolerate. Having got rid of their lame duck (The Economist) president Thabo Mbeki, they are now stuck with a PR nightmare (Cape Argus). Will Zuma survive his latest transgression? And if he does, what will happen should he falter yet again? Only time will tell.
- Anthony Penderis is a former Dubai journalist now living in South Africa.
South African politics faces uneasy times
http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/south-african-politics-faces-uneasy-times-1.143235
South African politics faces uneasy times
The split in the African National Congress is becoming more apparent, while its leader Jacob Zuma faces a tough challenge ahead of elections to be held next year
Led by Mosiuoa Lekota, a former defence minister serving in the ANC cabinet, and Mbhazima Shilowa, a former premier of Gauteng, one of South Africa's nine provinces, the delegates agreed on an official launch of a new party on December 16 this year - South Africa's Day of Reconciliation, a national holiday.
ANC President Jacob Zuma, who now faces a serious leadership challenge to stem the tide of defections from his party, responded by inviting political opponents to debate on policies. He has yet to announce where and when this will happen and whether this will help to keep his party together remains to be seen.
In opposition circles this feud is welcomed as it could break the ANC's dominance in parliament where it holds a two-thirds majority effectively giving it the power to change the constitution at its whim. At least this will push back the spectre of South Africa heading for a dictatorship for a while.
These series of events are not exactly a feather in the Zuma cap as he can be blamed for the break-up in the party starting with Judge Chris Nicholson's verdict at the Pietermaritzburg High Court in September this year. While awaiting the verdict Zuma's supporters did not only behave like an unruly mob trying to bring the Court down, but they also burned pictures in public of President Thabo Mbeki, the then president of South Africa.
Tactical error
All these actions proved totally unnecessary as the verdict turned out in favour of Zuma and eventually led to the resignation of Mbeki as president.
By insulting his democratically-elected President in public he drove the wedge between him and the Mbeki supporters so deep that it culminated in this break-up. A serious tactical error on his side, as President Mbeki was doing his last term anyway. Why disgrace him when he has only a few months left in office? On top of this the question still lingers: What would Zuma and his supporters have done if the judge did not rule in their favour?
Bribery charges
The judge's ruling that President Mbeki influenced the National Processing Authority when investigating Zuma's involvement in a multi-billions rand arms deal does however not clear his name. Zuma might still face more than 700 charges of bribery and corruption relating to the arms deal. A showdown he is seriously trying to avoid as it could negatively influence his chances to be elected President next year.
For the breakaway group under Lekota and Shilowa there are big organisational challenges lying ahead with only a few months left until the next election. While Shilowa has commanded respect as the Gauteng Premier, Lekota's organisational capabilities are suspect. While Minister of Defence, the South African Defence Force, once the strongest in Africa, was reduced to an ill-disciplined band of less than 50,000 strong with most of its equipment now out of commission. It seems logical that Shilowa should emerge as the leader here.
South Africa's next general election should take place within five years of the previous one which makes the latest election day April 13 next year. The Constitution however gives the President the prerogative to postpone the election by a further three months, which could have South Africans at the polls only by mid-July next year.
Before their current crisis the ANC publicly admitted that they are already running more than four months late with their election drive. Sorting out their parliamentary priority list is an important part of this preparation, which takes around three months to do. This is normally a fierce negotiation process where their coalition partners, Cosatu and the South African Communist Party, also demand a stake. The ANC won 279 of the 400 seats available in parliament during the 2004 election. Since then their number has grown with floor crossings in Parliament.
The real challenge for both parties lies ahead when the battle is taken to the streets and into the poor townships known for their volatility and intolerance. Earlier this year xenophobic violence aimed mostly at Zimbabwean, Malawian and Mozambican illegal immigrants claimed around 50 lives and is still going on.
The ANC is known for its tactics of threatening ill-educated people in the townships making them believe that their vote is not secret. The gullible ones are convinced that privileges such as housing could be withheld from them should they not vote for them. The ANC will now be confronted with many ex-comrades resisting this. It is not impossible that the 2009 South African election can turn into a bloody affair at grassroots level.
Anthony Penderis is a former Dubai expat who has started his own political party to take part in the 2009 South African general election.
South African politics faces uneasy times
The split in the African National Congress is becoming more apparent, while its leader Jacob Zuma faces a tough challenge ahead of elections to be held next year
- By Anthony Penderis, Special to Gulf News
- Published: 23:54 November 13, 2008
- Image Credit: Illustration: Ramachandra Babu/Gulf News
Led by Mosiuoa Lekota, a former defence minister serving in the ANC cabinet, and Mbhazima Shilowa, a former premier of Gauteng, one of South Africa's nine provinces, the delegates agreed on an official launch of a new party on December 16 this year - South Africa's Day of Reconciliation, a national holiday.
ANC President Jacob Zuma, who now faces a serious leadership challenge to stem the tide of defections from his party, responded by inviting political opponents to debate on policies. He has yet to announce where and when this will happen and whether this will help to keep his party together remains to be seen.
In opposition circles this feud is welcomed as it could break the ANC's dominance in parliament where it holds a two-thirds majority effectively giving it the power to change the constitution at its whim. At least this will push back the spectre of South Africa heading for a dictatorship for a while.
These series of events are not exactly a feather in the Zuma cap as he can be blamed for the break-up in the party starting with Judge Chris Nicholson's verdict at the Pietermaritzburg High Court in September this year. While awaiting the verdict Zuma's supporters did not only behave like an unruly mob trying to bring the Court down, but they also burned pictures in public of President Thabo Mbeki, the then president of South Africa.
Tactical error
All these actions proved totally unnecessary as the verdict turned out in favour of Zuma and eventually led to the resignation of Mbeki as president.
By insulting his democratically-elected President in public he drove the wedge between him and the Mbeki supporters so deep that it culminated in this break-up. A serious tactical error on his side, as President Mbeki was doing his last term anyway. Why disgrace him when he has only a few months left in office? On top of this the question still lingers: What would Zuma and his supporters have done if the judge did not rule in their favour?
Bribery charges
The judge's ruling that President Mbeki influenced the National Processing Authority when investigating Zuma's involvement in a multi-billions rand arms deal does however not clear his name. Zuma might still face more than 700 charges of bribery and corruption relating to the arms deal. A showdown he is seriously trying to avoid as it could negatively influence his chances to be elected President next year.
For the breakaway group under Lekota and Shilowa there are big organisational challenges lying ahead with only a few months left until the next election. While Shilowa has commanded respect as the Gauteng Premier, Lekota's organisational capabilities are suspect. While Minister of Defence, the South African Defence Force, once the strongest in Africa, was reduced to an ill-disciplined band of less than 50,000 strong with most of its equipment now out of commission. It seems logical that Shilowa should emerge as the leader here.
South Africa's next general election should take place within five years of the previous one which makes the latest election day April 13 next year. The Constitution however gives the President the prerogative to postpone the election by a further three months, which could have South Africans at the polls only by mid-July next year.
Before their current crisis the ANC publicly admitted that they are already running more than four months late with their election drive. Sorting out their parliamentary priority list is an important part of this preparation, which takes around three months to do. This is normally a fierce negotiation process where their coalition partners, Cosatu and the South African Communist Party, also demand a stake. The ANC won 279 of the 400 seats available in parliament during the 2004 election. Since then their number has grown with floor crossings in Parliament.
The real challenge for both parties lies ahead when the battle is taken to the streets and into the poor townships known for their volatility and intolerance. Earlier this year xenophobic violence aimed mostly at Zimbabwean, Malawian and Mozambican illegal immigrants claimed around 50 lives and is still going on.
The ANC is known for its tactics of threatening ill-educated people in the townships making them believe that their vote is not secret. The gullible ones are convinced that privileges such as housing could be withheld from them should they not vote for them. The ANC will now be confronted with many ex-comrades resisting this. It is not impossible that the 2009 South African election can turn into a bloody affair at grassroots level.
Anthony Penderis is a former Dubai expat who has started his own political party to take part in the 2009 South African general election.
Zuma faces tough choices
http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/zuma-faces-tough-choices-1.148295
Zuma faces tough choices
A list of over 700 pending court cases, in addition to the rise of a breakaway group and discomforting developments within the ANC push the South African leader towards a difficult period before the elections next year.
The NPA appealed against Judge Nicholson's ruling in September this year, who accused Thabo Mbeki, who was still president of the country, of political meddling in their case. This forced Mbeki to resign as president and triggered the breakaway party, Congress of the People (Cope) to be formed.
Zuma's advocate took a grilling in the Appeal Court in Bloemfontein last Friday from a full bench of five judges. Their line of questioning clearly indicated that they were not happy with Judge Nicholson's verdict.
Should the NPA win the appeal, Zuma will be running for president of South Africa in the 2009 general election while facing criminal charges. Zuma faces more than 700 charges against him which include bribery, corruption, racketeering, fraud and tax evasion related to the infamous multi-billion rand arms deal.
The verdict is expected on January 12 next year. Zuma has indicated he will appeal against an unfavourable judgment.
If this is not enough, the Cope headache remains one of Zuma's main ailments. He has admitted that a coalition between the breakaway party and the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's second biggest party, is a source of concern to him.
Although a number of opinion polls have indicated that Cope is not a significant threat to the ANC yet, their real strength will be tested in 42 municipal by-elections to be held tomorrow. Cope candidates will stand as independent candidates while their party is not registered yet.
The ever-present threat of Cope got the ANC embroiled in yet two more court cases. Recently, they forced the independent Electoral Commission not to publish the electoral list for the by-elections after they failed to meet the deadline for eight of their candidates.
Then there is still the legal battle to prevent Cope from using the name the ANC claims theirs. The name 'Congress of the People' was used by the ANC to describe the 1955 Kliptown Congress of the People where the ANC freedom charter was adopted. Should the ANC win the case, Cope will have to find a new name before their official launch on December 16.
The war of words between the two parties has certainly led to some colourful exchanges over the last few weeks. Office bearers of the ANC referred to the leaders of Cope as "dogs, snakes and cockroaches" while two senior members of Cope claimed that with Zuma in charge, "rape will be made official" and the country will then have a leader who says "I will rape and shower".
This alludes to Zuma's rape charge from which he was acquitted but never seemed to have lived down his statement in court that 'he showered' after he had unprotected sex with his HIV positive cousin.
Cope's steering committee later apologised to Zuma about the rapist comments. The ANC has yet to apologise to Cope for calling their members dogs, snakes and cockroaches. Julius Malema, of "'we will kill for Zuma" fame and President of the ANC Youth League, also climbed into Cope, calling their leader Mbhazima Shilowa an "irresponsible father and security guard", referring to his profession before he entered politics. Last week, Malema went the extra mile to humbly apologise in the media for his "we will kill for Zuma" statement.
Hardly done
But Malema was hardly done when two members of his Sedibeng branch said in an interview with Al Jazeera international news that leaders of Cope behave like cockroaches and "should be killed". In ANC-speak a cockroach is clearly of lower order than a dog and a snake and has no right to live.
Dr Brigalia Bam, the poll panel chairperson, organised a pre-election conference in Durban on November 25 for parties presented in parliament. She announced at the conference that all parties in the next election will be asked to sign an electoral code of conduct which aims to create an environment for a fair election.
While all this is going on, a quiet debate is underway whether the incumbent president Kgalema Motlanthe, who replaced Mbeki, would not be a better candidate than Zuma. Mothlante was the only one speaking out against Malema's outbursts while Zuma never reprimanded him. Mothlante's dignified approach to any crises is not going unnoticed.
Zuma is known for his antics on stage and zealous performer of the exuberant toy-toy dance. A political dance of another kind is awaiting him in the months leading up to the election. He needs to master some tricky steps if he wants to stay the lead dancer.
Anthony Penderis is a former Dubai expatriate who started his own political party, A Party, to take part in the 2009 General Election in South Africa.
Zuma faces tough choices
A list of over 700 pending court cases, in addition to the rise of a breakaway group and discomforting developments within the ANC push the South African leader towards a difficult period before the elections next year.
- By Anthony Penderis, Special to Gulf News
- Published: 23:32 December 8, 2008
- Image Credit: Illustration: Nino Jose Heredia/Gulf News
The NPA appealed against Judge Nicholson's ruling in September this year, who accused Thabo Mbeki, who was still president of the country, of political meddling in their case. This forced Mbeki to resign as president and triggered the breakaway party, Congress of the People (Cope) to be formed.
Zuma's advocate took a grilling in the Appeal Court in Bloemfontein last Friday from a full bench of five judges. Their line of questioning clearly indicated that they were not happy with Judge Nicholson's verdict.
Should the NPA win the appeal, Zuma will be running for president of South Africa in the 2009 general election while facing criminal charges. Zuma faces more than 700 charges against him which include bribery, corruption, racketeering, fraud and tax evasion related to the infamous multi-billion rand arms deal.
The verdict is expected on January 12 next year. Zuma has indicated he will appeal against an unfavourable judgment.
If this is not enough, the Cope headache remains one of Zuma's main ailments. He has admitted that a coalition between the breakaway party and the Democratic Alliance, South Africa's second biggest party, is a source of concern to him.
Although a number of opinion polls have indicated that Cope is not a significant threat to the ANC yet, their real strength will be tested in 42 municipal by-elections to be held tomorrow. Cope candidates will stand as independent candidates while their party is not registered yet.
The ever-present threat of Cope got the ANC embroiled in yet two more court cases. Recently, they forced the independent Electoral Commission not to publish the electoral list for the by-elections after they failed to meet the deadline for eight of their candidates.
Then there is still the legal battle to prevent Cope from using the name the ANC claims theirs. The name 'Congress of the People' was used by the ANC to describe the 1955 Kliptown Congress of the People where the ANC freedom charter was adopted. Should the ANC win the case, Cope will have to find a new name before their official launch on December 16.
The war of words between the two parties has certainly led to some colourful exchanges over the last few weeks. Office bearers of the ANC referred to the leaders of Cope as "dogs, snakes and cockroaches" while two senior members of Cope claimed that with Zuma in charge, "rape will be made official" and the country will then have a leader who says "I will rape and shower".
This alludes to Zuma's rape charge from which he was acquitted but never seemed to have lived down his statement in court that 'he showered' after he had unprotected sex with his HIV positive cousin.
Cope's steering committee later apologised to Zuma about the rapist comments. The ANC has yet to apologise to Cope for calling their members dogs, snakes and cockroaches. Julius Malema, of "'we will kill for Zuma" fame and President of the ANC Youth League, also climbed into Cope, calling their leader Mbhazima Shilowa an "irresponsible father and security guard", referring to his profession before he entered politics. Last week, Malema went the extra mile to humbly apologise in the media for his "we will kill for Zuma" statement.
Hardly done
But Malema was hardly done when two members of his Sedibeng branch said in an interview with Al Jazeera international news that leaders of Cope behave like cockroaches and "should be killed". In ANC-speak a cockroach is clearly of lower order than a dog and a snake and has no right to live.
Dr Brigalia Bam, the poll panel chairperson, organised a pre-election conference in Durban on November 25 for parties presented in parliament. She announced at the conference that all parties in the next election will be asked to sign an electoral code of conduct which aims to create an environment for a fair election.
While all this is going on, a quiet debate is underway whether the incumbent president Kgalema Motlanthe, who replaced Mbeki, would not be a better candidate than Zuma. Mothlante was the only one speaking out against Malema's outbursts while Zuma never reprimanded him. Mothlante's dignified approach to any crises is not going unnoticed.
Zuma is known for his antics on stage and zealous performer of the exuberant toy-toy dance. A political dance of another kind is awaiting him in the months leading up to the election. He needs to master some tricky steps if he wants to stay the lead dancer.
Anthony Penderis is a former Dubai expatriate who started his own political party, A Party, to take part in the 2009 General Election in South Africa.
