When you’re slap bang in the middle of a mess it’s sometimes hard to see the whole picture, so we like to check in with some of the world’s leading media outlets and their views on South Africa from time to time.
A while back we showed you the BBC’s chilling nine-minute video on the Guptas (HERE), and of course today’s pressing matter is whether or not we can finally rid ourselves of Public Looter Number One.
Baleka Mbete’s decision to allow the no confidence vote to take place via a secret ballot was big news around the world (cough and all), and it lead CNN to ask a few questions.
They ran with the headline “Secret ballot no confidence vote to decide Jacob Zuma’s fate“, so let’s see what they had to say:
This week the embattled South African president faces perhaps his toughest test yet: a vote of no confidence — by secret ballot — in parliament.
And even party devotees are turning against him.
“It’s all about Zuma,” says Simpiwe Madau [a lifelong ANC supporter]. “If he still loves this organization [sic] and if he still loves the country, then he should do the honorable thing and step down for the good of the country.”
…On Tuesday, lawmakers from the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), will lead a no confidence motion against him. If they can secure a simple majority, Zuma and his entire cabinet will be forced to resign…
It is a tall order. Several votes of no confidence have failed in the past. But this time could be different.
They then outline all the recent scandals, with the Guptas front and centre, before returning to the choices the ANC must make:
ANC politicians are already looking to a future without Zuma. The party will meet in December to choose his successor. Many in the ANC would rather dictate their own future than be led by opposition groups.
But several powerful ANC members, like former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, who was controversially sacked by Zuma earlier this year, have called on MPs to vote their conscience.
The party has already paid a political price for supporting an unpopular president, suffering substantial electoral losses in the last nationwide election.
Outside politics — or perhaps because of it — the South African economy is struggling. Earlier this year the country entered its second recession in seven years. Unemployment is staggeringly high for the nation’s youth. Certain types of violent crime are on the increase.
And with each new corruption revelation, it becomes harder for the ANC to stand by Zuma.
The party’s MPs will face a difficult decision in the no confidence vote.
The final word goes to Simpiwe Madau, that lifelong ANC supporter we mentioned earlier, from his home in Alexandria:
He says the ANC must choose between what is good for South Africa, and what is good for the president.
“Corruption is demoralizing this country,” he says.
Political commentators will debate whether or not a secret ballot and ousting Zuma is in fact good for democracy here at home (THIS piece has been widely shared), but getting rid of Zuma will surely do wonders for national morale.
We can deal with the ramifications later, but perhaps a morale booster is exactly what we need right now.
[source:cnn]
