Mbeki agrees to resign - Democracy at work

Bishop Tutu is making a strong point here

Tutu Warns of 'Banana Republic' Future

Business Day (Johannesburg)

NEWS
23 September 2008
Posted to the web 23 September 2008

By Chris Van Gass
Cape Town

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said yesterday he was "deeply disturbed" by President Thabo Mbeki's "humiliating" axing, which meant SA had been subordinated to a political party.

In a statement in defence of Mbeki, he warned SA could be on its way to becoming a banana republic.

He said Mbeki had come across as a "dignified man" in his resignation address on TV on Sunday night.

Tutu said SA, as stated in the Freedom Charter, belonged to all and not to any political formation, "however powerful". Perhaps now was the time to call for constitutional changes so presidents could be elected directly by all South Africans.

Party lists should be abolished as "they are pernicious and produce sycophants".

Tutu described African National Congress (ANC) deputy leader Kgalema Motlanthe as a "conciliatory person who wants to act out of integrity. I suppose I shouldn't be saying this as it might be the kiss of death for him, but he is someone many people would not be too embarrassed to have as a head of state."

However, SA need not have been in this position as Mbeki had only six months to serve out his term. "I can't imagine that a party could say unity is far more important than the stability of the nation."

Not instituting a commission of inquiry into the arms deal, as suggested by Judge Chris Nicholson, was one of the mistakes of the Mbeki administration. This was something Tutu and others had called for long ago.

Tutu said he was "deeply disturbed" by recent events. The "so-called" recalling of Mbeki fitted the pattern of settling old scores and "throwing about of weight that has happened post-Polokwane".

He questioned why two premiers had to be sacked with only a few months left to serve "if it is not to prove that there are new cocks of the walk? Why humiliate the nation's president in this fashion without giving him the chance to respond to any charges that the (ANC's) national executive committee might have laid?"

Ironically, one of the reasons Nicholson declared ANC president Jacob Zuma's indictment invalid was that the National Prosecuting Authority did not afford him the right to explain why he should not be charged.

SA was seeing people flexing their muscles and settling scores. There was little concern about the repercussions.

Tutu said if SA were a democracy there had to be certainty that those who ruled it were "as uncorrupt as possible". He said a court of law would ultimately decide on whether Zuma was corrupt or not.

Tutu said Mbeki had scored many significant achievements in SA's economy and in promoting peace in Africa, most recently in Zimbabwe. But he had made many enemies, "even within his own party", for his intolerance of challenges and dissent.

"SA puzzled many of our friends by odd foreign policy decisions that betrayed our history on his watch," said Tutu.

Mbeki's enemies got their revenge, and "are gloating as they rub his nose in the mud", Tutu said.

"There is nothing principled about that. It is good old-fashioned tit for tat."

He said it was "arrogant, cynical opportunism" that one moment they could, when judges found against them, call the judges "part of a counter-revolution", but when the judges found in their favour they represented "judicial triumph".

"It is possible that a post-Polokwane purge will hurt some people who could also be plotting their revenge one day. Our country deserves better. The way of retribution leads to a banana republic," said Tutu.

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Kithuku said:

Hivi hawa kina Zuma na kampani yake wamesoma huu ujumbe wa askofu Tutu? Unagusa sana, yaani unayo harufu na ladha yenye mvuto wa kizalendo. Hawa jamaa watakuja kuharibu hii nchi, na watasababishia waafrika wote kashfa nzito kabisa ya kusababisha ionekane ni mzungu tu ndiye anayeweza kutawala nchi vizuri. Hakika wanahitaji tena msaada, kama tulivyowapa wakati ule wakipigania uhuru.

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Hivi ni kweli Waafrica tumelogwa au ni mzungu anatuzunguka na kutuchezea akili? It is very sad that South Africans are now going to prove that Apartheid was better! Because the government under black leaders is not doing any good for the development of South Africa, instead they are engaging into unnecessary hatred among themselves!!!

Wakati wa mkoloni Bongo kulikuwa na barabara za lami mpaka Magomeni na Kurasini Beach, kulikuwa na automatic postage stamps machines, kulikuwa na usafiri mzuri wa kijamii (public transport). Ama hakika sasa naamini mkololoni aliondoka Afica baada ya kufanya "cost benefit analysis na kugundua kwamba kuendelea kutawala Afica directly was more expensive than ruling them indirecly through doctoring their mindsets, controlling their economy etc.

august said:

In order to maintain the country and Stability ANC has Ask Thabo to Resign subject to Parliamentary proceeding, Je CCM wanaweza Fanya Hivyo?

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hivi na kikwete naye anaweza kweli kukubali kujiuzulu kwani naye hakuna tofauti na anacho kifanya

Mbeki 'has strong chance of success'

Professor Marinus Wiechers, former law professor at Unisa and an expert on the constitution, thinks Mbeki has a "very strong chance" of success.

"I was astounded when I heard Judge Nicholson make his statements on Mbeki and the executive. That was not the legal issue he was required to rule on. I thought he should have let it go.

"One thing is certain: Mbeki's appeal is proving wrong all those who thought he had gone quietly, as Sunday night's dignified speech on TV could have indicated.

"On the contrary, he is clearly ready for battle, and upon close examination, Monday's appeal is nothing other than a veiled warning to Zuma that the Mbeki-Zuma fight is far from over."

Professor Tom Coetzee, former law professor at North West University's Potchefstroom campus, said he considered Nicholson's statements on political meddling in the Zuma prosecution as "neither relevant, nor fair".

"I was astonished. The Constitutional Court's ruling will be groundbreaking. Mbeki is taking the right route. No one should underestimate his intelligence."

Ile statement ya Mbeki wakati anabwaga manyanga ilikuwa makini, yenye kuonya. Now here he comes.

Mawaziri 11 tayari wameshabwaga manyanga ikiwa ni pamoja na makamu wa Rais, Zuma asipokuwa makini chama cha ANC kitasambaratika akiendelea na sera zake za kulipa kisasi.

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