Today Pravin Gordhan presents his (and Jacob Zuma’s) first Medium Term Budget Policy Statement. The post-Polokwane guillotine has been working overtime off late and we have seen the last remnants of the Ancien Régime flushed from the party, the state and government. The last man standing is Trevor Manuel, balancing precariously on a rapidly shrinkingContinue reading “The Polokwane chickens are coming home today …”
Category Archives: Jacob Zuma
Joel Netshitenzhe’s resignation: trying to read the signposts
We are all looking for signposts as to where Zuma’s government is going and where we will end up. Joel Netshitenzhe’s resignation is an important signpost, but it is, perhaps, too early to make out which direction it is pointing in. Here are some extracts of what the Young Communist League in Gauteng had toContinue reading “Joel Netshitenzhe’s resignation: trying to read the signposts”
Farewell to Peter Mayibuye*
Joel Netshitenzhe has resigned as Director General in Trevor Manuel’s National Planning Commission in the presidency. This comes a day after President Zuma reshuffled and attempted to explain the various roles to be played by the various ministers who fall into the economics cluster. The Business Day article suggested that Zuma had caved in toContinue reading “Farewell to Peter Mayibuye*”
SA Politics in Slides
I will occasionally post a slide from recent presentations. This is the first:
Pirates of Polokwane* Shaik their Booty
That was going to be my headline for the story I was going to write about the appointment of Mo Shaik to head the secret service. I decided not to write about it. I simply can’t. I was going to point out that the South African Secret Service is responsible for all non-military foreign intelligenceContinue reading “Pirates of Polokwane* Shaik their Booty”
Ruling party’s populism – such a clever trick
Just how broad a church is a broad church? The ANC and the Congress Movement has always liked to refer to itself as “a broad church” – which basically means that people of different ideological persuasions should be able to find a home within the movement. The Ruling Alliance is giving new definition to ‘broadness”Continue reading “Ruling party’s populism – such a clever trick”
Race to the Finish
Is Julius Malema the only person prepared to tell the truth around here? Julius bemoaning the under-representation of “Africans” and/or “black people” in the economic cluster: We [black people] cannot just be reduced to security and the very important issue of economy is given to minorities…. Minister of police, minister of intelligence, minister of justice — [theyContinue reading “Race to the Finish”
Things go better with Zuma
The unfortunate way of the independent political analyst is to scoff and sneer at everything government says and does. It’s usually a good bet. Government seldom disappoints. But right now, as Tokoyo Sexwale brushes off the grime of his night in Diepsloot and yet another gangster look-alike takes over as national police commissioner, it is perhapsContinue reading “Things go better with Zuma”
The Spirit of Polokwane?
… probably Johnny Walker Blue Label … The leadership of the African National Congress are feeling quite satisfied with themselves – and they have some justification. They have finessed both the SARB governorship and the transition at the Treasury and everyone, apparently, feels like a winner. For now. The two positions about which the financial marketsContinue reading “The Spirit of Polokwane?”
The Accidental President
Understanding Jacob Zuma is not the same as understanding history.
If we believe that Polokwane was essentially the manifestation of Jacob Zuma’s destiny we are going to struggle to understand the present and be shocked – even more than we would otherwise have been – by the future.
The Zuma Cabinet – Upside Surprise
First published May 14 2009 Jacob Zuma’s cabinet was announced in mid-May. This report looks at each minister and deputy minister and gives a brief introduction to each one. Summary conclusions This cabinet is shaped by the competing objectives of improving performance/delivery and the political requirement to satisfy both the SACP/Cosatu constituency who backed Zuma’sContinue reading “The Zuma Cabinet – Upside Surprise”
Nic Borain 