The end of Mbeki

Politicsweb is part of Moneyweb, and Moneyweb is South Africa’s main dedicated business-news web site. So it is not a small matter when Politicsweb effectively declares “The end of Mbeki” (see the linked article below). It looks like the bourgeois media is turning on Thabo Mbeki.

The main quibble we would have with this Politicsweb article is the figure of R1.34 million mentioned as “paid over” to Jacob Zuma by Schabir Shaik. In fact, most of this figure was calculated out of what the court decided was the use-value of the flat belonging to Shaik, which Zuma had lived in for some time as Schabir's guest. Nor is it mentioned that the rest of the money held by the court as having been paid to Zuma by Shaik was tiny incidents scraped together from a record of many years of friendship, totted up by the miserable, vindictive state prosecutor Billy Downer, under the beady, encouraging eye of the dreadful old Rhodie, Squires. The whole thing was a gross fabrication.

Schabir Shaik must now go free!

YCL National Secretary Buti Manamela has published a fresh article (linked below) concerning the election of Cde Jacob Zuma in the YCL’s online/e-mail publication The Bottomline. This is in response to the treatment given by the Financial Mail to the political implications of a Zuma Presidency. Just because they are turning on Mbeki doesn’t mean that the bourgeois media are going to be friendly to JZ.

The SACP Central Committee (augmented) meets from today. The agenda (see the notice linked below) includes the 2008 POA, the South African Road to Socialism, ANC Conference (to come) and COSATU CC (past). The timing and the potential consequences of this CC are powerful. We look forward to the outcome.

Jack Bloom is a DA MPL in the Gauteng legislature. In the past he has been a conspicuous, ranting anti-Communist of the most abrasive and irrational kind. Brian Hlongwa is a well-known ANC comrade, currently the Gauteng MEC for health. Comrade Brian is trying to restrict Jack Bloom’s (and any other MPL’s) ability to follow up complaints in the public service, particularly in hospitals. No doubt Jack Bloom is a nuisance from Brian Hlongwa’s point of view, but Brian is surely in the wrong this time around. Elected representatives are licensed busybodies, among other things. Jack Bloom is only doing his job, and Cde Brian should back off. See the FXI statement linked below.

Image: Dead Duck, or in French, Canard Mort.

Click on these links:

The end of Mbeki, James Myburgh, Politicsweb (779 words)

We are not afraid, Buti Manamela, The Bottomline (1346 words)

2nd plenary session of the 12th SACP Congress CC (notice)

GPG attempt to curtail MPL Jack Bloom's freedom of expression (772 words)

Coming Events