An acceptable “goat herd”!

I am a sucker for news from or articles on South Africa. The way that country is developing, with confidence and one might even say arrogance mediated by realities, is a lesson for any country at that stage in its development; and there are many.

Isn’t it a wonder, one will be justified to ask, there was no bloodshed when “a former goat herd” Jacob Zuma ousted the suave and highly educated (in the UK, no less) Thabo Mbeki from the high office of the president of the country, only to win the subsequent election and become the president himself. Justified yes, but only if ill informed. One must understand that the halos of both Mandela and Tutu bathed the South African mindscape. Revenge violence was proscribed.
When Mr Zuma did become the president, there were “doubters aplenty”, and the newspaper The Economist carried the torch for the Cassandras whom the South Africans did not believe. Good for them. Therefore, it came about that I was wonderstruck to read in that paper this piece. It is at least a halfway endorsement of how the Zuma presidency is developing, with the strap line reading, “So far Jacob Zuma has handsomely confounded his critics.”

What has Mr Zuma done in the four months he has been in power that justifies The Economist’s flip-flop? He has been “notably pragmatic” by respecting South Africa’s democratic institutions, those coming out of its post-apartheid constitution that is highly appreciated and reckoned as a model. A strong ally of his, John Hlope, was “rejected as a candidate for the Constitutional Court … by the Judicial Services Commission.” Mr Zuma is abiding by this decision, not going behind the back of the commission.

No witch hunts for him, giving “senior cabinet posts to several friends of Thabo Mbeki …[his] bitter rival.” The capital class’s favorite Trevor Manuel, who guided the South African economy with a pronounced market slant through the Mbeki years, has been given an upward push — he now heads “a National Planning Commission that will oversee all ministries, especially those affecting the economy.” Did you hear the loud cheer of international capital? Perhaps that is drowning the noises of Mr Zuma’s allies on whose shoulders he lifted himself — the “Communists and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu)”.

Mr Zuma has also “roundly condemned recent violence by striking workers and protesters”, a side-winder of a statement against labor unionism. He is quoted as saying, “Lawlessness and anarchy will not be tolerated from any segment of our society [my emphasis], regardless of the grievances.” We may even see this as assuaging the white population which is reportedly halfway through or preparing for an exodus. The Economist wrote all of this with an undisguised sense of glee, I might add.

And, favoritism and nepotism seem not to have found a root yet in governance. The appointments to key posts are “on merit rather than politics.” “The press … seems enamuored by the way he has encouraged debate.” And, I have heard elsewhere that on the health front, particularly HIV/AIDS, the Mbeki ostrich with its head in sand has given way to the Zuma periscope. This must be a surprise, if you remember that as the accused in a rape trial, Mr Zuma said having a shower after sex is protection enough against HIV/AIDS! Surprises never cease with this guy.

But, there is some very disturbing news as well. While before the elections Mr Zuma indicated he may bring back the death penalty, he has not yet taken that ultimate step; but he is inching towards it, in the sense of bringing a law “to make it easier for the police to use lethal force [my emphasis] against suspected [my emphasis] criminals.” The highlighted words, in one sentence, add up to something more sinister than death penalty. This violation of civil rights is most severely retrograde, not befitting the land that has an amnesty program for apartheid criminals. Further, what is most ironic is he “may be readier to criticise human-rights violators.” How can he and on what authority? Something does not compute here.

Let me look at the overall score. He is doing, rather has so far done, a great job; his “copious charm [and] readiness to listen” are obviously helping him. But, will he continue to traverse this path, of course, without the human-rights violations detour, the rest of his term? Will his rustic manner stand him in good stead? Will he change his spots under duress, become a Mbeki clone, of urbanity, sophistication? Can he continuously strike a balance between the tribal grass-skirts and the financial three piece suits? We will wait and see.

Perhaps his “goat herd” experience will help him, at least better than the UK education did his predecessor.

Raghuram Ekambaram