Zuma vows ‘meaningful’ change in leadership challenge
SOUTH AFRICA: Embattled South African President Jacob Zuma
made the case on Sunday for his re-election, promising his ANC party
meaningful change as he sought to face down a leadership challenge from
his deputy.
Zuma wooed delegates at the African National Congress's five-yearly
conference with a robust defence of his much-criticised term in office,
a pledge of change and his trademark ebullient charm.
Calling for unity Zuma said the successful anti-apartheid movement
was ready to “move into the second phase” which would focus on bringing
“meaningful socio-economic freedom”.
“We worked together to bring about freedom, justice and human rights
during the struggle for liberation and currently as we fight poverty,
inequality and unemployment,” he said. The ANC meeting in the central
city of Bloemfontein will go a long way towards deciding who will lead
South Africa until the end of the decade.
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is hoping to wrest control of the
party from Zuma, who has been president of the Africa's economic
powerhouse since 2009.
Should Motlanthe succeed, the ANC's commanding electoral standing
means he is almost certain to become the country's next president.
Zuma's tenure has been marred by a series of personal financial
scandals, and he has been pilloried for his handling of the economy.
Millions of black South Africans still wallow in poverty 18 years
after the ANC came to power with the first black president, Nelson
Mandela.
Acknowledging that the road to prosperity will be “long and hard”,
Zuma insisted however that “the ANC remains the only hope for the poor
and marginalised.” He said he recognised that there had been problems
with his term in office, not least in keeping the economy afloat.
South Africa has faced a slew of credit ratings downgrades as
unemployment remained stubbornly high around 25 percent and growth
slowed to the slowest rate in three years, The vital mining sector has
been hit by waves of violent unrest including the killing of 34 miners
by police in August. Addressing investors, Zuma said he wanted to
“dismiss the perceptions that our country is falling apart”.
He eschewed talk of privatising the mining sector, and backed a
centrist plan to improve the economy over two decades.
“The destination we are heading towards is a mixed economy, where the
state, private capital, cooperative and other forms of social ownership
complement each other.”
AFP |