SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 13-SEPTEMBER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 001921 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PGOV ASEC SF POL PAS ECON SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 13-SEPTEMBER 19 PRETORIA 00001921 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Written in partnership with the Open Source Center's Pretoria Bureau, the POL newsletter is open to contributions from officers in the Embassy or in the Consulates who wish to highlight political trends. Contact Madeline Seidenstricker or Jonathan Smallridge for more information, or to make contributions. The newsletter also is available on the Political Section's blog, "A View from South Africa," found on intelink.gov. -------------- Domestic News -------------- Nzimande Blames Mbeki for ANC Turmoil ¶2. (U) South African Communist Party (SACP) Secretary General Blade Nzimande has blamed former president Thabo Mbeki for some of the woes facing the African National Congress (ANC) and the country. In a discussion paper for the SACP congress in December, Nzimande accused Mbeki of "hijacking and frustrating the ANC developmental agenda and replacing it with a pro-business program that has frustrated the ANC's efforts of transforming the country." Nzimande called on government to review all agencies established during the Mbeki era and to close down irrelevant ones. He also warned that remnants of Mbeki's supporters within the tripartite alliance could frustrate President Jacob Zuma's service delivery agenda. (Sowetan, September, 14, 2009) Human Settlements Minister Visits Informal Settlement ¶3. (U) Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale visited residents of Phola Park-Thokoza informal settlement on September 13 to learn about service delivery challenges. The visit was in response to calls by the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in Ekurhuleni for the dismissal of the executive mayor Ntombi Mekgwe and her mayoral committee. The Minister held a special meeting with ANCYL leaders at the Thokoza Hostel to discuss challenges concerning the residents and then met with residents. The residents of Phola Park-Thokoza complained about a lack of water, electricity, houses, jobs and sanitation facilities in the area. This marked the sixth visits Sexwale has made to informal settlements. In August, Sexwale launched a nationwide fact-finding mission to uncover the reasons behind the service delivery protests that rocked the country and to assess the massive backlog in housing. (Buanews, September, 13, 2009) Presidential Hotline Up and Running ¶4. (U) The presidential hotline went live on September 14. Officers at the Union Buildings call center will handle calls and respond to public inquiries. Citizens will be able to lodge their queries by dialing the toll-free number. The Presidency says that the next few weeks will be spent "perfecting the service and ensuring that all technical and operating aspects work efficiently". (The Star, September, 14, 2009) Auditor-General to Turn Up the Heat on Delivery ¶5. (U) Auditor-General Terence Nombembe will put government departments on the spot in March 2010 when his office releases a report highlighting five years of service-delivery monitoring. The report will provide the first detailed information on the extent to which the government has delivered. The Auditor-General's office has been gathering information for five years, long before this year's formation of a Monitoring and Evaluation Department in the Presidency under Collins Chabane. Nombembe declined to give any hints of which departments were likely to feel the heat. (The Times, September, 14, 2009) SACP Leads the Eastern Cape ¶6. (U) Phumulo Masaulle of the SACP has been elected chairman of Q6. (U) Phumulo Masaulle of the SACP has been elected chairman of the ANC in Eastern Cape. Masualle, who is also Minister in the Executive Committee for Health in Eastern Cape, secured 1041 votes, beating Mcebisi Jonas by 930 votes. The provincial conference was dominated by leadership contests, leading Zuma to issue a stern warning to the delegates that the national executive committee would take over the running of the province if "it failed to get its act together." (Sowetan, September, 14, 2009) ANC in Eastern Cape Plans to Recall Premier ¶7. (U) The ANC in Eastern Cape plans to recall Premier Noxolo Kiviet following Phumulo Masualle's election to the position of party provincial chairperson. The Sowetan reported that Masualle's supporters plan to push a conference decision through a provincial general council before December and recall Kiviet. The ANC's provincial executive committee plans to devise a strategy to diffuse tension between the parties to ensure there would be not be "two centers of power" between the premier and the chairperson. (Sowetan, September, 14, 2009) -------------- International News -------------- South Africa-China Dialogue to Proceed ¶8. (U) International Relations and Cooperation (DICO) Deputy Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim will co-chair the SA-China Strategic Dialogue Forum on September 17. Minister Ebrahim will host his PRETORIA 00001921 002.2 OF 002 Chinese counterpart, Assistant Minister Zhai Jun. This session will focus on reviewing bilateral relations, African Issues and China's policy towards Africa, and multilateral cooperation and international developments. The Dialogue also allows for the two countries to discuss the status of structured bilateral engagements such as the SA-China Bi-National Commission. (DICO Briefing, September 15) DICO Minister Visits Sudan ¶9. (U) DICO Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane visited Sudan September ¶17. She was accompanied by Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency Collins Chabane and senior government officials. During her visit, the Minister was expected to hold discussions with her Sudanese counterpart on Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD),the conflict in Darfur, the 2010 election and other matters related to the implementation of the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). Minister Nkoana-Mashabane returned to South Africa on September 17 ahead of the 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (DICO Briefing, September 14) Kenyan Electoral Commission visits South African Electoral Commission. ¶10. (U) Five members of the Kenyan Electoral Commission beginning on September 14 visited with members of the South African Electoral Commission in order to learn how to conduct free, fair and transparent elections. The Kenyan Electoral Commission is reorganizing itself following post election violence over a year ago which left over 1,000 people dead. Kenya has also sent missions to Ghana, Rwanda, India and Brazil. (Eyewitness News, September 16). RSA's International Relations Minister to Call on Sudan's Al-Bashir ZANU-PF to Discuss Moyo's Application for Readmission ¶11. (U) Zimbabwe's pro-government newspaper The Herald reported on 15 September that the Zanu-PF Politburo will deliberate on an application for readmission into the party by independent House of Assembly Member for Tsholotsho North constituency and former Information and Publicity Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo when it next sits. In an interview on 14 September, Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde [Comrade] Didymus Mutasa confirmed the development and described Prof Moyo as an "important asset" to the party. [Harare The Herald Online in English -- Website of pro-government newspaper published daily except Sunday; URL: http://www.herald.co.zw] RSA Minister Briefs Media on US Climate Change Talks ¶12. (U) Environment Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said it was unrealistic for developing countries to commit to carbon emission targets because of their economic status, reported privately-owned daily Business Day 16 September. Briefing reporters in Kempton Park, Sonjica said the government would not sign any deal at the upcoming climate change conference that would compromise SA's economic development chances. "We know we are culprits in emitting carbon because we generate our energy from coal (but) SA is a country with...socioeconomic issues. A sizeable amount of our population is without electricity so you have to factor all those issues before you can move away from coal completely." [Johannesburg Business Day Online in English -- Website of privately owned regional newspaper; URL: http://www.bday.co.za/] Gips