This week’s Talkback question on the Mail & Guardian Online:
Zuma ruling: What now for Mbeki?
Read more
Have your say by leaving a comment below.
This week’s Talkback question on the Mail & Guardian Online:
Zuma ruling: What now for Mbeki?
Read more
Have your say by leaving a comment below.
Mbeki is not going anywhere. Try to remove him you’ll see stars.
For President Mbeki the writing has been on the wall since the 2005 ANC National General Council Resolution allowing the then ANC Deputy President Jacob Zuma to resume his functions and duties conferred on him by virtue of the office he occupied at the time; others could argue that it was even earlier than that. It was at this point that President Mbeki should have realized that his aspirations of a third term as ANC president were not going to be smooth sailing. Since then it has become progressively downhill for the President. However, Judge Nicholson’s particularly scathing judgment could be the catalyst for President Mbeki’s continued tenure as the country’s President. It is however, regrettable that his fate could be sealed by what is essentially a finding based on inferences drawn from side issues to the more substantive main application (whether or not the NPA should have afforded Mr Zuma the opportunity to make representations prior to him being charged)
Someone remarked to me that most political careers end in tears; but this may be the most painful yet. For me it did not need Judge Nicholson’s judgment for President Mbeki to resign or be forced out. His exit is informed by the acute differences between him and those who support him and current ANC leadership under Mr Zuma on the priorities, direction and state of the ANC and the country. It was always going to be difficult to include him in the ANC’s election campaigns, since the ANC would have to appraise his service delivery record and he may not get a favourable score card, something he may not particularly like. On the other hand the ANC does not appear ready for an early election. An early election could plunge the ANC into a state of disarray; the infighting will become more vicious.
President Mbeki’s resignation would be a preferable option. To force him out however by way of a motion of no confidence will be considerably messy and will have a destabilizing effect on the functioning of government; either way, both the ANC and President Mbeki have come to the Rubicon, the political scene will look different after the weekend. Perhaps President Mbeki and his supporter in the ANC will start thinking very hard about forming a new political party as reported in the businessday today.
Many people in this country are tired of living in fear or being held in ransom by Julias Malema and the ANC. As a member myself but i think the time has come for a new political voice. The role played by the ANC to liberate SA will never be forgotten.But we cannt live in a country where there is disregard for a head of State. Its enough
As much as I am not President Mbeki’s supporter, I don’t see the urgency for him to move out of his position before the designated deadline. Even if this man has done ‘so much evil’ to people, which I for one cannot even witness, but it also sounds fishy to some outsiders that over his two terms he hasn’t done any good for the country that the people can attribute to his brain, soul, efforts and love of his country.
If South Africans head forth against outgoing President with so much hatred and inhumanity what are they teaching to our children? How many people in this country have done worse things ever to the children, women, young boys that leave us as parents sleepless at night? How many politicians and regular people in this country have been implicated with corruption and whatever bribery that can be found in the minds of twisted minds that are treated descent?
Whoever, in reality has been mistreated by this outcast, Mr. Mbeki? The White people claim that he was/is a racist? Why? Perhaps because he was urging the African Renaissance? Whether that is attainable or not is another subject. On the other hand, the Africans and/or Blacks claim that he befriended and associated himself with elite and the Whites. Where is the truth exactly in here? Two separate claiming that the other benefited! Something is fishy here, maybe somebody can clear it for some of us.
Unemployment, yes of course its there. But the reality is that, how many developmental initiatives, educational programmes, Adult Educational Programmes, Vocational Programmes that supposedly un-skilled or low-skilled people could have exploited but never grasp the opportunities. Its understandable that some of these programmes may not have been properly executed by the very same project managers. That is something which we also seem to turn a blind on; some of our project managers do not even have the zeal to transfer knowledge and develop their counterparts not to mention a significant amount without the expertise to implement developmental projects.
How is it that everything that i bad about our country is associated with Mr. Mbeki while everything that is good during his Presidency is not associated with him? Whom are we fooling here? Can’t we just, for the sake of our children and honor of how much we fought for this ‘democracy’ accept the fact that we are all human beings subject to make mistakes and also need to give credit where its worth?
I’m just concerned about our children born is a post- Apartheid South Africa, who know literally nothing about the Apartheid. But, are growing up and observing us as the worst parents that are bickering, pointing fingers at one another and eventually fail to come up with solutions to the burning issues.
Let Mr. Mbeki stay there and leave his position at the right time in peace. The man still deserves some respect as much as each and every person on earth does. Besides, he has done so much for our country whether we admit that or not.
I don’t remember benefiting from his administration nor do I think I would benefit from the coming. Hopefully my children will grow looping up to the emerging leaders. Oh, let the bickering go down the drains. No more personality attacks good people. This is time to re-build our nation Black, White, Purple, Coloured, Red, Pink, Green, Navy, Gold. This is the time. Let us focus on what the emerging leadership has to give us. We need to take ownership of our nation by re-directing the government to be what we want it to be. We need to dismantle rhetoric and politics of personalities and seek leaders that are concerned about the burning issues.
Inflation
Prices
Education; quality, shortage of teachers, efficient resources,
Employment
Crime
Oh please, how come our politics always go on and on and on like this as if we have all these issues that upcoming leaders need to talk to us about before they get in there. It is us to have to approve their plans with our votes. Hey, its not about who has to lead South Africa, it has to be about what is the person about to offer us and we need to have the power to hold our leaders accountable to these promises.
We have better things to discuss…I rest
mbeki has been taking the right approach to the scoundrelous actions of the anc yl, sacp and cosatu. silence. he goes about his business of state leader in almost a tranquil state. there are no grounds with which they can remove him as state president, his anc membership is at their mercy though.
are they so insecure of their leadership that they would cut mbeki’s reign short by a couple of months?
are they so greedy that they cannot wait a few more months to grab the tenders and contracts?
this is not to recuse mbeki for his apparent meddling in the national prosecutors affairs, but to raise the question. are they so?
this is the apparent leadership taking us beyond 2010.
are they so?
good question.
as one of the guest speakers correctly said on morning live this morning : “a loyal member of the ANC for the past 52 years… and he will continue to be a member” but after what mbeki just went through, the question now is will he remain as loyal ?he definietly won’t be as active but i don’t blame him if his loyalty goes out the window.
south africa we are left without a say in who becomes our next president because it has already been premeditated of mr zuma stepping up to take that position.The ANC just needed to get mbeki out of the way so that the people who will be voting next year and think they are voting for a democratic SA have no choice but to vote for the “last man standing” as he now has no other threats standing in his way. his court case will go his way without a doubt remember the ANC had the power to remove our president thanks to their two thirds majority so in other words…they have the power to do anything no matter what the rest of the country has to say…
I predict that Mbeki’s good friend Robert Mugabe will offer him a farm in Zimbabwe to which he can retire and write his memoirs. And if anything goes wrong with the deal Mbeki brokered between ZANU-PF and the MDC, he would be right on the spot to lend a hand. A win-win solution!