SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 16-NOVEMBER 20

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 PRETORIA 002377 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PGOV ASEC SF POL PAS ECON SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 16-NOVEMBER 20 PRETORIA 00002377 001.2 OF 004 ¶1. (SBU) This was written in partnership with the Open Source Center's Pretoria Bureau. The 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 -------------- Standard Bank Playing Politics? ¶2. (U) Businessman Saki Macozoma, Standard Bank's deputy chairperson of the board and active member of the Congress of the People (COPE),has been overlooked for the bank's chairperson position. Various newspapers speculate that Macozoma was overlooked because of his involvement in COPE. (Note: Macozoma was rumored to have helped bankroll the party when it broke from the African National Congress last year. End Note.) Macozoma played a key part in blocking Nedbank's takeover bid for Standard Bank in 1999, and was widely expected to be the next chairperson. (News24.com, November 17, 2009) Government to Fix Housing Mess ¶3. (U) The South African Government is planning to confiscate the assets of developers who built poor subsidized housing. The Department of Human Settlements has had to demolish and rebuild 10,000 houses because of poor construction. Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale reported that millions of dollars are needed to rebuild defective houses. (Note: Most of the houses were built immediately after 1994 prior to the introduction of the National Home Builders Registration Council in 1997. End Note.) Sexwale laid the blame for these inferior houses on corruption by construction companies and government officials. (Sowetan, November 17, 2009) Pikoli Testifies Against Selebi ¶4. (U) Former Head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Vusi Pikoli took the stand in Jackie Selebi's corruption trial on November 17. Pikoli told the court how he was sidelined by former President Thabo Mbeki in a bid to protect Selebi from prosecution. Pikoli testified against the former commissioner and detailed how the investigation into his alleged corrupt activities began. German South African businessman Jurgen Kogl also testified on November 17 as his name was in an intelligence report tipping authorities off about the relationship between Selebi and late businessman Brett Kebble. Kogl is also alleged to have laundered money paid to President Jacob Zuma by arms company Thint. (New24.com, November 17, 2009) Zuma Concedes Government's Promised 500,000 Jobs Target Not Reachable ¶5. (U) City Press reported on November 15 that President Zuma has conceded that his government will not be able to create the 500,000 jobs he promised in his state of the nation address in June. "Given the manner in which we are shedding jobs we will welcome any number of job opportunities created during this period. Even 100,000 job opportunities can be considered a success," Zuma said. He emphasized that the global economic crisis "has set back, at least for the moment, our efforts to tackle unemployment and poverty," and has "placed a greater burden on the State as we seek to alleviate the plight of the poor." [Johannesburg City Press in English -- privately-owned regional weekly newspaper with a majority black readership] ANC Emerges as Economic Policy "Driver" at End of Three-Day Alliance QANC Emerges as Economic Policy "Driver" at End of Three-Day Alliance Summit ¶6. (U) Business Report stated on November 16 that the ANC and its alliance partners ended a three-day summit on 15 November in which the economic policy direction was the major issue of difference, but that "the party appears to have held its ground with broadly pro-free market policies supported at the meeting." COSATU had wanted itself, the South African Communist Party and the ANC to jointly forge economic policies, "thus weakening the more conservative and pro-free market rump of the ANC, which supports inflation targeting, limited government spending and prudent monetary policies." This followed "weeks of dissent" within the party over whether Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel, a former trade unionist with strong left-wing credentials, and his allies, including Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, who is the SACP general secretary, should play a stronger role in setting the alliance's policy goals. However, it would appear that the PRETORIA 00002377 002.2 OF 004 Left's desire to play an equal role with the ANC in determining policy did not succeed. President Zuma reiterated his support for Manuel, giving him a vote of support to press ahead with a National Planning Commission. [Website of business and financial publication, privately owned by Independent Newspaper Company; URL: http://www.businessreport.co.za/] ANC Members Shoot Each Other in Eastern Cape ¶7. (U) Eight African National Congress (ANC) members were wounded when a man with a rifle opened fire at Lusikisiki College in Eastern Cape Province. The shooting was reported to be between rival members of the ANC in Lusikisiki and was caused by infighting within the party's local branch. The gunman has been arrested. The ANC in the Eastern Cape region told reporters they were investigating the incident. (Eyewitness news, November 17, 2009) Disgruntled Youth Turn to the Streets in Gauteng ¶8. (U) Disgruntled youth in the National Youth Service (NYS) program protested outside the Gauteng Provincial legislature on November 18. They accused the Gauteng government of failing to implement the program in ways that would allow them to benefit. The NYS is a national program meant to train young people in order to enable them to play a role in social and economic issues. The protesters accuse provincial officials of corruption, mismanagement, and ignoring the plight of the youth. According to protestors, there has been no training since the program was launched. Police had to disperse the youth after they exceeded the three hour time limit allowed to for their protest. (Sowetan, November 19, 2009) Soldiers to Patrol South African Borders ¶9. (U) South African soldiers, instead of police, will be deployed to patrol and protect South Africa's borders. The government announced publicly that the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) members will be better placed to fight cross-border crime, which includes smuggling and illegal immigration. Addressing a post-Cabinet briefing, government spokesperson Themba Maseko said soldiers will gradually replace the police both along the country's frontiers and at border posts. He told reporters that there will be an intermediate phase when some sections of the border will be guarded by police and some guarded by the SANDF. The Police began taking over responsibility from the army for border security five years ago but the move has been widely regarded as a mistake. (SABCNEWS, November 19, 2009) Police Commissioner Meets With Interpol Chief Ahead of 2010 World Cup ¶10. (U) The South African Press Agency reported that National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele met with Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble on 17 November in Lyon, France, to discuss cooperation during the FIFA World Cup, police said. Noble praised South Africa's ability to host international events saying, "South Africa can be proud of its past achievements, particularly in its ability to deliver major events without incidents, including its support in the latest ICC Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean," he said, referring to the South African Police Service (SAPS) assistance in probing the death of Pakistani cricket coach Bob Woolmer, who was found dead in his hotel room during the event. Cele's office said Interpol would help the SAPS with passport control measures, screening travel documents against its international database. "Mr. Noble further pledged that the full resources of Interpol will be QNoble further pledged that the full resources of Interpol will be made available to South Africa to support their security arrangements," Cele's office said. Noble will visit South Africa in December this year. [Cooperative, nonprofit national news agency, South African Press Association; URL: http://www.sapa.org.za] 600 Foreigners Reportedly Flee Settlement in Western Cape Following Attacks ¶11. (U) According to the South African Press Agency, about 600 foreigners were forced to flee their homes in informal settlements around De Doorns after angry residents destroyed their shacks accusing them of stealing their jobs, Western Cape police said. Superintendent Desmond van der Westhuizen said the locals were mainly targeting Zimbabweans, adding that the situation was tense but that there was no violence. "They say that farm owners opt to hire foreigner because they are cheaper and South Africans demand more pay. The community says the Zimbabweans settle for less money, which is not true," he said. Van der Westhuizen said officials were still looking for alternative accommodation for those affected. The attack resembled the wave of xenophobic violence which spread across the country in May last year. [Cooperative, nonprofit national news agency, South African Press Association; URL: http://www.sapa.org.za] ANC Youth League Defends Former President Mbeki PRETORIA 00002377 003.2 OF 004 ¶12. (U) ANC Youth League (ANCYL) President Julius Malema, who severely criticized Mbeki before demanding the former President resign, defended him publicly after Young Communist League National Secretary Buti Manamela said Mbeki and former Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang should be charged with genocide for their policy of denying the link between HIV and AIDS. Manamela said the two former leaders had denied many HIV-positive people access to anti-retroviral drugs while they were in government, which led to many thousands of deaths. Malema said allowing Mbeki to stand trial would result in a number of African leaders facing trial for various crimes. (SAPA, November 16) -------------- International News -------------- DIRCO Minister Concludes Her Visit to South Asia ¶13. (U) Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane concluded a three-day working visit to India on November 15. Nkoana-Mashabane held several meetings with the business community in Mumbai as part of South Africa's efforts aimed at strengthening economic diplomacy. Nkoana-Mashabane paid a courtesy visit on Sonia Gandhi, President of the Indian Congress Party, and met with various senior government ministers. The Ministerial visit to India was aimed at laying the foundation for President Zuma's state visit to India in 2010. (DIRCO Briefing, November 15) Ebrahim Ebrahim Going to South Korea ¶14. (U) DIRCO Deputy Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim will be going to South Korea for the South Korea/Africa Forum in Seoul from November 23-25. In addition to attending the forum, Ebrahim will have a bilateral meeting with the South Korean Government. (DIRCO Briefing, November 15) Zuma to Attend Commonwealth Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago ¶15. (U) Both President Zuma and DIRCO Minister Nkoana-Mashabane will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Governments meeting (CHOGM) from 27-29 November in Trinidad and Tobago. The CHOGM will be preceded by a ministerial meeting; issues to be discussed include climate change and the future of the Commonwealth. (DIRCO Briefing, November 15) Government "Carefully" Probing Reports of Mercenaries Training Guinea Junta Recruits ¶16. (U) AFP reported on 17 November that DIRCO Director General Ayanda Ntsaluba said South Africa is "very carefully checking on the veracity" of reports that local mercenaries were training pro-junta recruits in Guinea. Witnesses in Guinea reportedly told AFP that junta-hired South African and Israeli army instructors are "training recruits in a camp in Forecariah, 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of the capital Conakry." Ntsaluba warned, "We do not want to see our citizens involved in nefarious activities abroad. These could undermine our foreign policy," he said. Around 40 military instructors are training soldiers "recruited on the basis of their ethnicity" as they belonged to the same group as junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara, witnesses said. Observers allegedly accuse the junta, under increasing international pressure after the massacre of over 150 opposition supporters at a rally in September, of recruiting young men from Camara's home region close to Liberia and Sierra Leone. Afrikaans daily Beeld reported on 18 November that according to Ntasluba, the South African legal position with regard to the prosecution of mercenaries is "unclear," adding that "it is true that the altered South African mercenary legislation was Q"it is true that the altered South African mercenary legislation was promulgated two years ago, but the regulations have not been published in the Government Gazette." [World news service of the independent French news agency Agence France Presse; Pretoria Beeld in Afrikaans -- Privately-owned national daily newspaper, targeting liberal-minded Afrikaners] ANC Delegation to Tour China ¶17. (SBU) The ruling African National Congress (ANC) will be sending 20 senior leaders to China on an educational exchange program with the Communist Party of China. The ANC's national leadership body released a statement saying that the program is the result of party-to-party relations with the Communist Party. The delegation will be led by wealthy businessman Cyril Ramaphosa. It is unclear who among the ANC's senior leadership will be involved in the program, but ANC parliamentarian Nyamni Booi said the delegation would travel to multiple cities to "train and educate" and would return to South Africa on December 4. ¶18. (SBU) The trip would follow a visit by Communist Party senior PRETORIA 00002377 004.2 OF 004 official Zhou Yongkang, who arrived in Johannesburg on November 18 on an official goodwill visit to South Africa. Yongkang expected to meet with South African President Jacob Zuma and other senior government leaders. Inkatha Freedom Party Leader Meets with the Pope ¶19. (U) Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi met with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in Rome on November 18. The meeting took place while Buthelezi was attending the 5th World Parliamentarians' Convention on Tibet attended by the Dalai Lama. Buthelezi chaired a session of the 5th World Convention on how the world can support the cause of democracy and autonomy in Tibet which, as all parliamentarians agreed, coincides with the cause of democracy, autonomy and cultural diversity, anywhere in the world. (IFP, November 19)