This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 000288 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/EPS AND AF/S/TCRAIG AND KGAITHER 
DEPT FOR EB/TRA/AN/CDEMARS, LFAUX-GABLE, ESMITH 
TRANSPORTATION FOR SMCDERMOTT, KBHATIA, GRETCH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON ETRD SF
SUBJECT: SCENESETTER FOR TRANSPORT MINISTER RADEBE'S U.S. 
VISIT 
 
REF: A. PRETORIA 5259 
     ¶B. PRETORIA 5072 
     ¶C. PRETORIA 4786 
 
(U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for Internet 
distribution.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  South Africa's Minister of Transport 
Jeffrey Radebe will travel to the United States January 23 to 
meet with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, New 
York City Port and Transit Authorities, FAA modal 
administrators, and to initiate Open Skies talks between 
South Africa and the United States.  Radebe's visit follows a 
September 2004 meeting with Secretary Mineta and an October 
2004 meeting with U.S. Department of Transportation's (DoT) 
Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs Susan 
McDermott.  Radebe assigned South Africa's lead aviation 
negotiator, Godfrey Selepe, to find solutions to any South 
African objections or obstacles to an Open Skies agreement. 
South African Airways (SAA) officials, however, told Econoff 
that they favor a managed liberalization process and fear 
that an Open Skies agreement with the United States would 
compel them to consider an Open Skies agreement with the U.K. 
 END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) South Africa's Minister of Transport Jeffrey Radebe 
(pronounced "ha-DAY-bay") will travel to the United States 
January 23 for a week of meetings in both NYC and Washington 
D.C.  The purpose of his visit is to meet with U.S. Secretary 
of Transportation Norman Mineta, New York City Port and 
Transit Authorities, FAA modal administrators, and to 
initiate Open Skies talks between South Africa and the United 
States.  (NOTE: To the best of Post's knowledge, SAA 
officials are unaware that SAG and U.S. officials will be 
engaging in informal Open Skies talks. END NOTE) 
 
-------------------------- 
PRECURSORS TO RADEBE VISIT 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Minister Radebe's visit to the United States 
follows up on a September 2004 meeting with Secretary Mineta 
at the 35 ICAO Assembly and an October 2004 meeting between 
the Minister and U.S. Department of Transportation's (DoT) 
Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs Susan 
McDermott in Cape Town.  During the Cape Town visit, Radebe 
was well versed on transportation issues, having served 
previously as Minister of Public Enterprises where he oversaw 
the administration of South Africa's state-owned rail, ports, 
and South African Airways (SAA).  Radebe expressed interest 
in the U.S. DoT's organizational structure, the collaboration 
between DoT modal administrators, and the Secretary's 
authority vis a vis the various DoT agencies.  The Minister 
has publicly commented several times that President Mbeki's 
priorities of creating economic growth and reducing 
unemployment correspond directly to the establishment of 
efficient and comprehensive transportation systems in both a 
rural and urban environment.  Dr. Ian Phillips, Special 
Advisor to the Minister, told Econoff that Minister Radebe 
holds Secretary Mineta in very high regard and respects his 
public service record as well as his experience in 
transportation matters. 
 
---------- 
OPEN SKIES 
---------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) During the Minister's meeting with DAS McDermott, 
Radebe agreed that without transport links, trade could not 
develop to its full potential.  Radebe acknowledged that this 
problem is crippling Africa's development.  He indicated that 
an Open Skies agreement would benefit the development of 
aviation services in Africa and said that South Africa was 
"committed to do everything possible" to liberalize Africa's 
skies.  He said that while many fear an Open Skies agreement 
means South Africa would be "gobbled up" by U.S. air 
carriers, the Lan Chile experience was reassuring.  Radebe 
said that his primary responsibility as Minister was to 
oversee the expansion and accessibility of transportation 
services (including aviation) rather than the promotion and 
protection of SAA (Reftel C).  Radebe said that Open Skies 
"looks compelling."  On the South African side, the Minister 
has been the impetus to initiating the upcoming Open Skies 
talks with the United States and expects these talks to lead 
to formal negotiations.  He has assigned South Africa's lead 
aviation negotiator, Godfrey Selepe, to draft a paper on the 
pros and cons of Open Skies from South Africa's perspective. 
He has also asked Selepe to find solutions to any SA 
objection or obstacle to an Open Skies agreement. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) In a November 17, 2004 meeting, South African 
Airways Executive Manager for International Affairs Oosha 
Chirkoot told Econoff that a major factor in not entering 
into an Open Skies agreement with the United States is that 
it would compel SAA to consider Open Skies agreements with 
the U.K. and others, where it is attempting to leverage an 
Open Skies agreement to acquire more slots at Heathrow. 
 
---------------- 
RADEBE BIOGRAPHY 
---------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) According to Radebe's government biographies and 
local press, he was born August 6, 1953 in KwaZulu-Natal 
Province.  Malcolm X, Angela Davis, and Martin Luther King 
inspired Radebe and he joined South Africa's Black 
Consciousness movement.  He later joined the African National 
Congress (ANC) underground during the student uprisings in 
¶1976.  Radebe earned a bachelor's of law degree from the 
University of Zululand in the 1970s then left South Africa in 
¶1977.  For the next nine years, Radebe worked for the ANC 
outside of the country in a variety of capacities.  During 
this time, Radebe also earned a master's degree in 
international law from Leipzig University in East Germany and 
attended the Lenin International School in Moscow. 
 
¶7.  (U) In 1986, Radebe was arrested in Johannesburg and 
imprisoned on Robben Island for six years.  While on Robben 
Island, Radebe quickly rose to head the ANC's political 
department at the prison.  Following his 1990 release, Radebe 
became Project Coordinator for the National Association of 
Democratic Lawyers and eventually served as the Chairman of 
the SACP's interim Leadership Group as well as the Chairman 
for the ANC's Southern Natal region where he was instrumental 
in peace negotiations with the Zulu-dominated Inkatha Freedom 
Party. 
 
¶8.  (U) After a successful job as Minister of Public Works 
from 1994 to 1999, Radebe was appointed as Minister of Public 
Enterprises.  Government observers believed that as a member 
of the SACP's central committee, Radebe would be able to sell 
the government's privatization program to its communist and 
labor critics.  However, Radebe encountered resistance from 
union and communist leaders upset at the loss of jobs caused 
by privatization.  Radebe withdrew from the SACP's Central 
Committee in 2002 over differences in how to handle 
privatization.  The highlight of Radebe's five years at 
Public Enterprises was the successful initial public offering 
(IPO) of 25 percent of Telkom stock, which raised R3.9 
billion ($500 million). 
 
¶10.  (U) Following the April 2004 elections, President Mbeki 
transferred Radebe to the Department of Transport.  As 
Minister of Transport, Radebe is focusing on projects to 
improve inter-city transportation services especially for 
lower income citizens commuting on a daily basis. In 
particular, Radebe is promoting a taxi recapitalization 
project and metro rail upgrade.  Radebe is also seeking 
pan-African support to implement the Yammoussoukro Agreement 
to create more liberal aviation agreements within the 
continent. 
 
¶11.  (U) In 1997, Radebe married prominent businesswoman 
Bridgette Motsepe.  Motsepe was a pioneer in the struggle to 
change the gender and complexion of South African mining. 
She founded Mmakau Mining in 1995 and currently serves as its 
CEO.  Her brother, Patrice Motsepe, is also a major player in 
the mining industry and is the Chairperson of Harmony Gold 
Mining Company.  In 2004, the Financial Mail magazine ranked 
Bridgette Motsepe as South Africa's fourth most powerful 
woman in business. 
MILOVANOVIC