South Africa: a New Dawn?

Affiliation:
Principal Research Fellow, Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
Research Fellow, Centre for Military Studies, Stellenbosch University
member, Editorial Board, “Aziya i Afrika segodnya” journal
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow

Journal name

Asia and Africa Today

Edition

Issue 1

Pages

2-9

Abstract

The article analyses the political situation in South Africa in the recent period and the political crisis that culminated in theresignation of President Jacob Zuma. He came to the leadership of the ANC in late 2007, when at the national conference of theAfrican National Congress he won over the then president of the country Thabo Mbeki, having received the support of 60% ofdelegates. In 2009, after the general election Zuma confidently took over as president of South Africa, having been elected by theANC majority in parliament.

However in recent years his reputation was irreparably damaged, and in the South African political vocabulary a new term appeared - «state capture», meaning the use of the state apparatus and state property for personal purposes. Various political forces began to call for his resignation, including those, who supported him earlier against Mbeki.

The moment of reckoning came at the ANC national conference on December 16-20, 2017, when Cyril Ramaphosa, Zuma’sdeputy in the state and the party won an undoubted victory in the election of the president of the ANC, defeating NcosazanaDlamini-Zuma, former minister and Chair of the African Union Commission, who Zuma supported.

After that Zuma’s resignation became inevitable, however he agreed to leave only after it became clear that no-confidence votein parliament was going to be supported by both the opposition and his own party.

The article also discusses the program put forward by the new President Cyril Ramaphosa and the first steps towards itsimplementation. Particular attention is paid to the problem of fighting corruption and attracting investment to accelerate the growth of South African economy. The final part of the article examines the state and prospects of Russia’s relations with South Africa.

Keywords

South Africa, African National Congress, Cyril Ramaphosa, Jacob Zuma, corruption

Received

11.02.2019

Publication date

21.03.2019

Number of characters

27221

Cite

GOST	Shubin V. South Africa: a New Dawn? // Asia and Africa Today – 2019. – Issue 1 C. 2-9 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://asaf-today.ru/S032150750003337-2-1 (circulation date: 24.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S032150750003337-2
MLA	Shubin, Vladimir G "South Africa: a New Dawn?." Asia and Africa Today 1 (2019):2-9. DOI: 10.31857/S032150750003337-2
APA	Shubin V. (2019). South Africa: a New Dawn?. Asia and Africa Today (1), pp.2-9 DOI: 10.31857/S032150750003337-2

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