South Africa

Interesting new article by Richard Calland in the M&G. Covering a lot of ground Calland gives good perspective about where we are now both socially and politically using interesting examples and analyses. A notable extract :

"The tribute to Brett Kebble by Khanyo Gqulu last week (“Our north, our south, our east and west”) would have been the most delicious piece of satire had it not been offered in such apparently deadly earnest. It - along with the rest of the sickly tributes to Kebble over the past 10 days - illustrates at least two things about the new South Africa.

Firstly, that there is more than one elite-building project going on. Secondly, that the interplay between money and politics has reached epidemic proportions. There are different and self-evidently competing sites of capital accumulation and acquisition. Kebble won the affection of a group of wannabe millionaires because he was willing to help extend the game beyond the usual suspects - the Patrice Motsepe and Mzi Khumalos of this brave new world.

What is fascinating is how quickly a new elite - forged in the afterglow of Nelson Mandela’s national reconciliation project and further encouraged by President Thabo Mbeki’s readiness to support the emergence of a small but powerful group of black captains of industry - rapidly becomes a political and economic establishment (an “elite compact” to use the old-fashioned Marxist jargon).

The Kebble-sponsored band of comrades challenges this establishment, with profound political repercussions. That may not necessarily be a bad thing, but to paint Kebble as some sort of benevolent patrician is as unconvincing as the desire of some people to portray Jacob Zuma as a great socialist hero...."

 

Fascinating angle which suggests a lot more is happening behind the scenes than the public realises, especially in the succession debate/Zuma Affair. Be sure to read the entire article yourself, its well worth it.