Mbeki Resigns
 |
Dave Schuler | Saturday, September 20, 2008 |
South African president Thabo Mbeki has resigned:
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – South African President Thabo Mbeki agreed to resign after the ruling party ordered him Saturday to step down, a move that could heighten turmoil in Africa’s economic powerhouse.
Mbeki’s rival and heir apparent Jacob Zuma was not expected to take over immediately. Another figure in the ruling African National Congress could be named interim president by parliament.
“Following the decision of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress to recall President Thabo Mbeki, the President has obliged and will step down after all constitutional requirements have been met,” the presidency said in a terse statement.
Mbeki was due to stand down next year after two terms in office, but faced growing pressure from Zuma’s supporters to quit following a judge’s ruling that Mbeki may have had a role in Zuma being charged with corruption.
A point I’ve made from time to time is that people tend to do what they’ve been trained to do and Thabo Mbeki is a fine example of that point. He’s a diplomat and much of his time and energies during his nine years in office have been devoted to mediation all over Africa, regardless of what South Africa’s needs might have been.
Now failing to stick to his knitting has cost him his job.
About the Author: Over the years Dave Schuler has worked as a martial arts instructor, a handyman, a musician, a cook, and a translator. He's owned his own company for the last thirty years and has a post-graduate degree in his field. He comes from a family of politicians, teachers, and vaudeville entertainers. All-in-all a pretty good preparation for blogging.
He has contributed to OTB since November 2006 but mostly writes at his own blog, The Glittering Eye.
- Mbeki Resigns
- South African Nuclear Plant Attacked
- Jefferson ‘Wins’ Supreme Court Case
- Biracial = Black?
- America and the World After Bush: 12 Step Recovery Plan
- Robert Oakley on Somalia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan
- Darfur Mission Desperate for Helicopters, Trucks
- Chinese Ships Join Pirate Hunt
- Baker Passes Go, Collects $1 Million
- David Gregory: Blame Congress, Not Media
- Republican Purity and Conservatism
- SNL Obama China Skit
- Journalistic Ethics and Illegally Acquired Documents
- National Debt Hysteria?
- Educating Illegal Immigrants
- Caption Contest
- Nathalie Blanchard Facebook Smile Leaves Her Depressed
- Glenn Beck, Community Organizer
- OTB Latenight – Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
- Hacked Climate Scientists Emails Reveal Truth
Well, if the Zimbabwe unity government actually holds for a few months, years, or until Mugabe dies, then he'll at least have one accomplishment to his name.
I'm by no means a South Africa expert, but doesn't it seem strange that the ANC can order Mbeki to resign the post of the Presidency, an elected office? For a political party to order the removal of a duly elected official smacks of the dealings of a one party state (which is pretty much the case for the ANC and South Africa).
Comments are Closed
