SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 4

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 002503 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PGOV ASEC SF POL PAS ECON SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 4 PRETORIA 00002503 001.2 OF 002 ¶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. -------------- International News -------------- US Envoy Reaffirms Commitment to Helping RSA in 'War' against HIV/AIDS ¶2. (SBU) Pretoria News reports that the U.S. has announced that it will provide an additional R900 million to South Africa to help address the stock shortages that have arisen from the new demand for ARVs. The announcement comes as South Africa commemorates World Aids Day on 1 December 2009. This one-time funding supplement will assist the Department of Health and provincial governments to meet their goals for antiretroviral treatments and to help build capacity in the provinces for planning and forecasting ARV needs. This includes working with health clinics, doctors, nurses and community NGOs to assess and build up skill bases in areas where gaps exist. In total, the US government has contributed more than R10 billion over the last five years to groups trying to neutralize the deadly effects of HIV/Aids in South Africa. [Description of source: Pretoria News Online in English -- Website of local daily, privately owned by Independent Newspaper Company; URL: http://www.pretorianews.co.za/ Zuma's Advisor Implicated in Equatorial Guinea ¶3. (SBU) City Press reports that one of President Jacob Zuma's key advisers has emerged as the central figure in allegations that the South African government gave tacit support to the Equatorial Guinea coup plot of 2004. In an exclusive interview with City Press last week, freed mercenary Niek du Toit claimed he had taken part in the plot after receiving assurances from a friend that Ayanda Dlodlo, then a deputy director in charge of strategy for the Scorpions, and now Zuma's parliamentary counselor, "said we should go ahead because they want to catch the people financing the coup". Although Dlodlo confirmed that Du Toit's friend, former apartheid military intelligence officer, Henri van der Westhuizen, had approached her about the plot, she denied giving him or the coup plotters any assurances of support and referred Van der Westhuizen to then National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka. They reportedly met on 18 February 2004, but the former prosecutions chief denied their discussion had anything to do with the coup. The plot was foiled less than a month later when a planeload of mercenaries was detained in Harare and Du Toit and a number of others were arrested in Equatorial Guinea's capital, Malabo. [Description of source: Johannesburg City Press in English -- privately-owned regional weekly newspaper with a majority black readership] South Africa Reviews Relations with Cuba ¶4. (SBU) Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane attended the sixth South African-Cuba Joint Binational Commission December 1-2 in Cuba. Nkoana-Mashabane was hosted by her Cuban counterpart Marcello Medina Gonzalez and both reviewed the status of SA-Cuban relations. Nkoana-Mashabane indicated that Zuma would pay a State Visit to Cuba QNkoana-Mashabane indicated that Zuma would pay a State Visit to Cuba in the first half of 2010 after receiving an invitation from current Cuban President Raul Castro. (DIRCO Briefing, December 2) Zuma Attends Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting ¶5. (SBU) Zuma from November 27-29 attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and worked with other nations to bolster North-South cooperation in areas such as climate change, sustenance of biodiversity, and conservation of water resources. Nkoana-Mashabane and the newly appointed South African High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Zola Skweyiya, supported Zuma at the meeting. (DIRCO Briefing, November 27) Zuma Discusses Improved Treatment of HIV/AIDS with Bill Gates ¶6. (SBU) Zuma and Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe on December 2 met with philanthropist Bill Gates to discuss critical matters relating to improving South Africa's policy toward HIV/AIDS. Zuma and Gates discussed the need to scale up the prevention of the virus, especially after the announcements made by the President on World Aids Day. (Note: Zuma promised expanded treatment for HIV/AIDS patients in a speech on December 1. End Note.) (The PRETORIA 00002503 002.2 OF 002 Presidency, December 2) -------------- Domestic News -------------- Government Claims "Readiness" to Deal with 2010 Visitors ¶7. (SBU) Deputy Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba stated that South Africa's ports of entry were ready to deal with a spike in traffic during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He added that security would be intensified and at least 150 immigration officers would be deployed to priority areas as well as mobile units being deployed at the Beitbridge and Lebombo border posts to ease the congestion as foreigners make their way home in time for the holidays and for the 2010 World Cup. Gigaba also said there was still no set date on which the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) would take over borderline control and protection from the South African Police Services (SAPS). (Early Warning News, December 3) Young Communist League Wants Mbeki to Take Blame for HIV/AIDS Crisis ¶8. (SBU) Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on December 1 released statistics of the AIDS pandemic in South Africa, which led to the Young Communist League (YCL) blaming former President Thabo Mbeki for the crisis. The League has called for a state-led judicial commission to be established that would hold Mbeki and former Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang accountable for the deaths of HIV positive people who were denied ARVs. The African National Congress Youth League has rejected calls from the YCL for Mbeki to be blamed. Senior government officials so far have remained silent on the issue. (Mail & Guardian, December 2) Selebi Trial Postponed Until February ¶9. (SBU) The trial against former National Police Commissioner Jackie Selbi has been postponed until February 1, 2010 to allow state officials time to challenge a decision to compel former National Intelligence Coordinator Barry Gilder to testify. The State Security ministry announced plans to petition the Supreme Court of Appeal to prevent Gilder from taking the stand, arguing his testimony could compromise national security. Public prosecutor Gerrie Nel, however, has insisted that the testimony the state wants from Gilder is already in the public domain. The ministry's legal counsel, Advocate Marumo Moerane, has argued that the prosecution's petition is a matter of principle, as forcing Gilder to testify could set a precedent. According to news reports, Nel wants to question Gilder about the existence of a draft intelligence report which the State believes Selebi showed his friend turned state witness, convicted drug dealer Glenn Agliotti. (News 24, December 3) Gips