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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PRETORIA 001560 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV ASEC SF POL PAS ELAB
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER JULY 26-AUGUST 1 
 
REF:  A. PRETORIA 1526, B. PRETORIA 1425 
 
PRETORIA 00001560  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) This cable is our first weekly South Africa Political 
newsletter.  It is written in partnership with Open Source Center's 
Pretoria Bureau.  The newsletter is open to contributions to 
highlight political trends.  Contact Madeline Seidenstricker or 
Jonathan Smallridge for more information, or to make contributions. 
The newsletter also is available on the Political Section's blog, "A 
View from South Africa," found on intelink.gov. 
 
------------- 
Domestic News 
------------- 
 
Municipal Workers Strike 
 
¶2. (SBU) Workers belonging to the South African Municipal Workers 
Union (SAMWU) and the Independent Municipal and Allied Workers Union 
(IMATU) began an indefinite strike on July 27 after wage 
negotiations broke down between the unions and the government. 
Striking workers have demanded a 15 percent increase while the 
government initially countered with an offer of 11.5 percent.  The 
unions are considering a revised wage increase of 13 percent that 
might end the strike by the weekend.  Strike action occurred in most 
major cities of the country, with municipal services affected.  The 
Congress of South African Trade Unions has called for the government 
to up its wage offers so that the dispute can be resolved quickly. 
(Business Day, Jul 28) 
 
Government Team to Investigate Service Delivery Protests 
 
¶3. (SBU) The South African Government, in conjunction with 
recommendations made by the African National Congress (ANC) National 
Executive Committee (NEC), has established a task force to 
investigate the reasons for the recent service delivery protests. 
(Note:  Service delivery protests have been ongoing in recent weeks 
as citizens claim the government has not done enough to address 
water, sanitation, and housing issues.  See Reftels for more 
information.  End Note.)  The ANC has deployed Deputy Home Affairs 
Minister Malusi Gigaba (the task force's leader), Minister of 
Justice Jeff Radebe, Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa, and 
Mpumalanga provincial government officials to investigate protests 
in the Mpumalanga province.  Once the team visits Mpumalanga, they 
will investigate incidents in Gauteng and North West Province. 
(Sowetan, Jul 28) 
 
Government Ministers and Luxury Items 
 
¶4. (SBU) Zuma's administration has spent 7.2 million USD on luxury 
items since assuming power in April.  A number of Cabinet ministers 
have purchased new vehicles.  Basic Education Minister Angie 
Motshekga purchased a BMW and a Range Rover Sport TDV8 while 
Communications Minister Siphiwe Nyanda purchased two new BMWs.  The 
Democratic Alliance (DA) has written a letter to the Director 
General of the Presidency Vusi Mavimbela and proposed that 
cost-cutting amendments be made to the ministerial handbook.  The DA 
in the Western Cape has already implemented cost-cutting. (News 24, 
Jul 27) 
 
Constitutional Court Changes Coming 
 
¶5. (SBU) University of Western Cape professor, and legal scholar, 
Pierre de Vos says, "In the near future President Jacob Zuma will 
probably appoint Justice Sandile Ngcobo as our new Chief Justice." 
(Note:  There is ongoing speculation over the next Chief Justice in 
South Africa.  The Judicial Services Commission has yet to put 
forward a nomination.  End Note.)  Ngcobo is known as a sound legal 
scholar, who wrote an important judgment on declaring it 
unconstitutional for South African Airways to discriminate against a 
passenger on the basis of his HIV status.  Ngcobo wrote, "In view of 
Qpassenger on the basis of his HIV status.  Ngcobo wrote, "In view of 
the prevailing prejudice against HIV positive people, any 
discrimination against them can, to my mind, be interpreted as a 
fresh instance of stigmatization and I consider this to be an 
assault on their dignity. The impact of discrimination on HIV 
positive people is devastating. It is even more so when it occurs in 
the context of employment. It denies them the right to earn a 
living. For this reason, they enjoy special protection in our law." 
(www.constitutionallyspeaking.co.za, July 23) 
 
South Africa: President Zuma Appoints New National Police 
Commissioner 
 
¶6. (SBU) The South African Press Agency (SAPA) reports that South 
African President Jacob Zuma has appointed KwaZulu-Natal MEC Bheki 
Cele as the new National Commissioner of Police on 29 July.  Cele 
replaces Jackie Selebi, who has been on special leave since 2008 
pending his court case on alleged corrupt activities and defeating 
the ends of justice.  Selebi's contract expires on 31 July while 
Cele is due to step into his shoes in August. (Contributed by the 
 
PRETORIA 00001560  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
Open Source Center's Pretoria Bureau) [SAPA: Cooperative, nonprofit 
national news agency, South African Press Association (SAPA); URL: 
http://www.sapa.org.za] 
 
Opposition Raises Concern on 'Zulufication' of RSA Security Cluster 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) SAPA reports that the appointment of Bheki Cele's 29 July 
appointment as South Africa's new police chief has added the number 
of KwaZulu-Natal men who lead South Africa's security cluster to 
four.  Cele joins Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Intelligence 
Minister Dr Siyabonga Cwele and Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, who 
were appointed after the April general elections.  Political analyst 
Kiru Naidu said while Cele brings "considerable political 
experience," he will allegedly face major challenges in restoring 
confidence in the police service.  Meanwhile, Durban Congress of the 
People (COPE) spokesman Siyanda Mhlongo described the allocation of 
security, intelligence organs and judiciary positions to 
KwaZulu-Natal ANC leaders as the "Zulufication" of the said organs. 
Mhlongo questioned Cele's skills to tackle corruption, racketeering 
and money laundering when he claimed Cele had been living "beyond 
his means" since his 2002 appointment, and that "eThekwini leaders 
of the ruling party have been 'parasiting' on state resources." 
(Contributed by the Open Source Center's Pretoria Bureau) [SAPA: 
Cooperative, nonprofit national news agency, South African Press 
Association; URL: http://www.sapa.org.za] 
 
"Tense Relationship" Between ANC's Mantashe, Youth League 
 
¶8. (U) The Sunday Independent reports that the ANC and its allies 
face succession questions.  Some ANC Youth League leaders reportedly 
want to replace the ANC Secretary-General, Gwede Mantashe, at the 
ANC's centenary conference in 2012 with Fikile Mbalula, a former 
youth league leader and the current police deputy minister, while a 
debate on the future of the South African Communist Party (SACP) 
leader Blade Nzimande is "raging" within the organization.  The 
"tense relationship" has led to the league reportedly opposing ANC 
leaders "at almost every turn."  The league criticized Mantashe's 27 
July dismissal of the current service delivery protests as "merely 
infighting and not genuine service delivery protests" as well as the 
secretary-general's dismissal of ANC Youth League President Julius 
Malema's proposal to nationalize mines.  Meanwhile, the Congress of 
South African Trade Unions is reportedly also facing its own 
succession questions at its upcoming congress but that "early 
indications" are that General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and other 
officials could return for another term. (Contributed by the Open 
Source Center's Pretoria Bureau) [Sunday Independent: Weekly 
newspaper, self-described as "serving the leaders and opinion-makers 
who are forging an inclusive democratic society," privately owned by 
Independent Newspaper Company] 
 
---------------- 
External Affairs 
---------------- 
 
New Diplomatic Deployments 
 
¶9. (SBU)  Although not confirmed, insiders of the deployment 
committee of the African National Congress (ANC) have said former 
Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya and former Arts and 
Culture Minister Pallo Jordan are set to be appointed as South 
African High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and South African 
Ambassador to the United Nations respectively.  Prominent political 
analyst Xolela Mangcu told Poloff on July 28 that Jordan would bring 
his "African nationalism stance to the United Nations, but that he 
Qhis "African nationalism stance to the United Nations, but that he 
would be easier to work with than previous diplomats who hold 
anti-Western stances." (The Times, Jul 18) 
 
International Criminal Court Warrant for Sudanese President 
 
¶10. (SBU) Multilateralism Deputy Director General George Nene of the 
Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DICO) says 
legal experts are examining whether the African Union's decision to 
not execute the International Criminal Court's warrant for Sudanese 
President Omar al-Bashir conflicts with South Africa's ratification 
of the Rome statute.  On July 31, the South African Government 
announced it was "obliged to arrest al-Bashir if he visits."  (DICO 
Briefing, Jul 22; South African Press Association (SAPA); URL: 
http://www.sapa.org.za) 
 
Developments on Zimbabwe 
 
¶11. (SBU) President Jacob Zuma said on Tuesday that intervention 
measures would be taken within the South African Development 
Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) should there be any 
indication the provisions of democracy inside Zimbabwe are 
compromised.  Meanwhile, the DA has asked President Zuma to release 
a report made by retired military generals sent to Zimbabwe during 
the country's elections.  (Note: Zuma has said the report was made 
 
PRETORIA 00001560  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
orally and no written report exists.  End Note.)  Additionally, the 
Media Committee of the African Group of Ambassadors, which is 
chaired by Zimbabwe and co-chaired by Congo (Kinshasa), has 
criticized the South African media over the negative coverage of 
issues especially in Zimbabwe and Congo.  The committee is chaired 
by Zimbabwean ambassador to South Africa, Simon Khaya Moyo. (News 24 
& Chronicle Reporter, Jul 29.) 
 
Conners