Tag: President Thabo Mbeki

Since 1994, South Africa has had five presidents who have varied greatly in style and character, despite all belonging to the same political party. How do they compare? How did they handle the crises they faced? What impact did they have on the country?

South Africa has faced many crises before, but the one we are now in has convoluted our collective thinking about what true leadership is all about. The political atmosphere in the country has deepened the leadership question and has resulted in creating a tense and protest-filled environment.

It is an unmitigated moral tragedy that in the year of celebrating what would have been Mandela’s 101st birthday, the incumbent government has betrayed him on an issue about which that he felt strongly. This is the resolution by parliament to make it constitutionally permissible to expropriate land without compensation (EWC). Despite the rhetoric to the contrary, the resolution does not exempt anyone, not any racial group or entity.

Two important developments have recently taken place on the ongoing land reform discussion front.