Is Thabo Mbeki ready to step back into active politics and out of the naughty corner he was pushed into following his 2008 recall by the ANC? Stephen Grootes thinks as much and focuses his latest piece in Daily Maverick on the subject. He writes at length about Mbeki’s recent trip to the Free State where the former president was forthright with his comments and how some South Africans are starting to get a feel for some Mbeki nostalgia.
Sure, things were slightly better under Mbeki with the economy moving in the right direction and corruption wasn’t as rife as it is now but his aids denialism, a failure to reckon with Jacob Zuma’s rise, and the attempt to control the National Prosecuting Authority are all a stain on the Mbeki legacy. That’s before we’ve made mention of the impending implosion at Eskom that began while Mbeki occupied the Union Buildings.
Grootes argues that Mbeki could be ready to come back into the ANC fold and play an active role in the party leadership elections due to take place at the end of the year. The rumour mill has recently been filled with whispers of a possible run for ANC deputy president from Mbeki’s former deputy Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. And if Mbeki is coming back to active politicking, then it might be to her advantage to latch onto the Mbeki nostalgia writes Grootes.
“If she were to win, she would suddenly emerge as the frontrunner for the leadership of the ANC after Ramaphosa, presumably, exits in 2027.”
Meanwhile, turning our attention back to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Mandy Weiner writes about her “president-envy” as she comments on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s heroic actions in the face of the might of the Russian military.
Weiner writes that Zelensky has inspired the world with his bravery, courage and boldness of action while if we look closer to home, can the same be said of the way Cyril Ramaphosa conducts himself?
“President Cyril Ramaphosa (aka Captain Passive as I referenced him in an earlier column this year) could barely be described as bold or courageous or inspirational. There has been the occasional emotive line in a national address that has evoked a stirring of patriotism, but at no point have I felt ready to follow him into battle enthusiastically.”
Weiner muses about the next generation of leaders coming up through the ranks within the ANC but ultimately points to opposition parties, which she contends have far more charismatic choices right now.
And while we’re on Ukraine, Tom Eaton brings his usual acerbic wit to his latest column where he breaks down the ideological flip-flopping and bugling of the ANC’s stance on the question of Russia’s invasion.
It first went from saying nothing on the matter and fence-sitting, to having defence minister Thandi Modise attending a party at the Russian Embassy, to international relations and cooperation minister Naledi Pandor condemning Russia and calling for an immediate withdrawal of troops, which reportedly enraged Ramaphosa because it was done without his consultation and, what’s that you say, we’re back to fence-sitting?
Here’s a roundup of interesting opinions, analyses, and editorials:
Russia-Ukraine conflict: Sitting on the fence suits SA – The Citizen (for subscribers)
Health taxes: some observations from the 2022 budget – Business Day
DELPHINE GOVENDER: Corporate SA is losing trust in the government – Financial Mail
Why the idea of a ‘neutral’ Ukraine is a non-starter in peace talks – The Conversation
SA can stop pandemic doom and gloom by extending the research and innovation frontier – Daily Maverick
EDITORIAL: Rich nations still drag heels over SA and India’s vaccine patent waiver – Business Day (register to read)
Caption: Thabo Mbeki on stage at the World Economic Forum in 2008. Image: Wikimedia Commons
