SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER JANUARY 11-JANUARY 15

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 000100 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PGOV ASEC SF POL PAS ECON SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER JANUARY 11-JANUARY 15 REF: Pretoria 0080 PRETORIA 00000100 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. -------------- Domestic News -------------- President Jacob Zuma Says ANC Not To "Co-Govern" With Alliance Partners ¶2. (SBU) The South African Press Agency (SAPA) reports that President Jacob Zuma stated that the African National Congress (ANC) would cooperate but not "co-govern" with its alliance partners. According to SAPA, Zuma said that the political alliance between the African National Congress, South African Communist Party (SACP) and Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) with its discussions and cooperation would "absolutely" continue, but warned against "mistaking" consultations and discussions with co-governance. The President added that including the SACP into more ANC governance could lead to the weakening of the former, and noted that "there are matters that the party has to take as a party." In recent weeks, tensions have been increasing within the alliance, with the SACP and COSATU demanding greater influence. [Description of source: Johannesburg SAPA in English -- Cooperative, nonprofit national news agency, South African Press Association; URL: http://www.sapa.org.za] World Cup Body Says Prepared For "Any Eventuality" Despite Attack in Angola ¶3. (SBU) SAPA's press release service link2media reported that the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee South Africa (OC) "strongly condemns" the "terrorist" attack on the Togolese national team in Angola, stating that there is "no link" between the incident and South Africa's preparations to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The committee dismissed attempts to compare organization and security in Angola with South Africa "just because the two countries happen to be in the same region", but highlighted that South Africa is "prepared for any eventuality". The report noted that Africa has hosted three successful FIFA events in the last eight months - the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa and the U17 and U19 World Cup's in Nigeria and Egypt. South Africa is scheduled to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup in June 2010 amid heightened security. [Description of source: Johannesburg link2media in English -- Press release service of the nonprofit press agency SAPA, known as SAPA PR; URL: http://www.link2media.co.za] Home Affairs Officials Confiscate "Fraudulent" Passports at Ports of Entry ¶4. (SBU) SAfm reported that the South African Department of Home Affairs has confiscated a large number of "fake" passports from travelers to South Africa and some neighboring countries following months of investigations (reftel). In a recorded interview with SAfm, Jackson MacKay -- deputy director general at Home Affairs responsible for immigration -- noted that an unusually large number of fake passports turned up at South Africa's ports of entry over the holiday period, revealing upon further investigation that many travelers to Mozambique and Zimbabwe are using "fraudulent" South African passports. MacKay also noted the increasing trend of travelers using documentation of people whom they closely resemble. Qtravelers using documentation of people whom they closely resemble. According to MacKay, the department is in the process of probing and weeding out elements of corruption within the department and implementing more stringent security measures at South Africa's ports of entry. [Description of source: Johannesburg SAfm Radio in English -- national SABC radio service, nominally independent but partially funded by government] Sponsored Surrender of Illegal Firearms in the Works ¶5. (SBU) Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has urged people in possession of illegal firearms to hand them over to police immediately. He said if they failed to do so they would face the wrath of the law. Mthethwa was launching the three-month "Awuleth' Umshini wakho" (translated as "Surrender Your Firearm") amnesty campaign aimed at ridding the country of thousands of illegal firearms. Owners of illegal firearms have until April 11 to voluntarily hand over their firearms. During the first amnesty in 2004 and 2005, more than 98,000 illegal firearms were handed in. PRETORIA 00000100 002.2 OF 002 Mthethwa encouraged licensed firearm owners to surrender their guns for destruction as prescribed in the Firearms Control Regulations. "Gun Free" South Africa's Natalie Jaynes said they supported the campaign and they would encourage all their constituencies in all regions to hand over their guns and alert police to illegal guns. (Sowetan, January 11, 2010) Motlanthe Wants Stronger Culture of Learning as Schools Re-Open ¶6. (SBU) Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe delivered a motivational speech to learners who underperformed at Mpheko Senior Secondary School near Mthatha in the Eastern Cape on January 13. Motlanthe told the students that teachers should strengthen the culture of teaching and learning at the school. The Eastern Cape Legislature's Standing Committee on Education and members of the provincial government have started visiting various schools in the province to push the importance of education and to ascertain whether schools are ready to teach the learners. (SABCNEWS, January 13, 2010) -------------- International News -------------- South Africa Pushes for Zimbabwe Leaders to Agree on "Some" Outstanding Power-Sharing Issues ¶7. (SBU) SAfm radio reported that President Jacob Zuma's International Relations advisor, Lindiwe Zulu, says Zimbabwe's political rivals have agreed on "some" outstanding issues of a power-sharing deal. Although there has been progress on some issues, Zulu is reportedly unhappy with the slow pace of negotiations. President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai formed a unity government last year in February after disputed elections, but the coalition has been fraught with disputes over power-sharing. [Description of source: Johannesburg SAfm Radio in English -- national SABC radio service, nominally independent but partially funded by government] Government Expresses Concern Over Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Strip ¶8. (SBU) Zuma told the crowd at the ANC's birthday celebration on January 8 that one of the principles underpinning South Africa's foreign policy is the Middle East peace process. He noted, "The Palestinian people have inalienable right to self-determination and independence," which he sees as entailing their universal human rights to safety and security. The South African government noted with concern the latest rounds of Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip and registered its condemnation in the strongest possible terms. (DIRCO Briefing, January 11) FM Chairs South Africa-India Roundtable ¶9. (SBU) International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane chaired the South Africa-India business roundtable with the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Johannesburg on January 12. The purpose of the meeting was to attract international trade and investment between the two countries as well as "creating a business environment for growth" of both South African and Indian business ahead of the Commonwealth games taking place in New Delhi in October 2010. (DIRCO Briefing, January 12) GIPS