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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 001857 
 
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TAGS: KDEM PGOV ASEC SF POL PAS ECON
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 6-SEPTEMBER 11 
 
PRETORIA 00001857  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) This was written in partnership with the Open Source 
Center's Pretoria Bureau.  The newsletter is open to contributions 
from officers in the Embassy or in the Consulates who wish 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. 
 
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Domestic News 
------------- 
 
MOD Sisulu Hints at Forum to Discuss Soldiers' Work Conditions 
 
¶2. (U)  SABC News reported on 8 September that Minister of Defence 
Lindiwe Sisulu says it may have been a mistake to allow the 
formation of a trade union in the South African National Defence 
Force, and that there is a serious lack of discipline among 
soldiers, referring to the recent protest action by soldiers at the 
Union Buildings in Pretoria.  Sisulu said it may be necessary to 
create a forum where the conditions of service of members could be 
addressed, "where the defence force has its own version of the 
public service commission, where we have a military commission to 
deal with the salaries of the defence force, and allow a mode of 
engagement with the defence force, which does not result in this 
kind of unionisation which has been allowed for the past few years." 
 She reiterated that government would not reconsider the dismissal 
of 1,300 soldiers who took part in the protest action.  [Online news 
service of the South African Broadcasting Corporation; nominally 
independent but partially funded by government; 
http://www.sabcnews.com] 
 
 
Congress of the People (COPE) to Cooperate with Other Opposition 
Parties 
 
¶3. (U)  The Congress of the People (COPE) is moving ahead with plans 
of establishing a cooperation agreement with opposition parties. 
COPE communications head Phillip Dexter told reporters that his 
party had no major differences with other opposition parties and is 
willing to work with them.  He emphasized that the coalition was for 
winning political power in the 2011 elections and not an anti-ANC 
society.  Last month, political parties met to work out a strategic 
approach to re-aligning opposition parties in the country. (Sowetan, 
September, 08, 2009) 
 
Manuel's "New Deal" 
 
¶4. (U)  The National Planning Commission released a green paper on 
strategic national plan.  Minister in the Presidency Trevor Manuel, 
who released the report on September 4, set out a vision that helps 
the country's long-term planning priorities.  The paper is to guide 
decisions and policy choices beyond the five year political terms. 
Until now, government has focused only on five-year plans linked to 
the mandate given by voters during general elections and election 
promises, but has never pursued long-term planning.  The document 
will also guide Minister for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation 
Collins Chabane to ensure that decisions are implemented and can be 
measured against clear long-term goals.  The documents will be 
tabled in the National Assembly on September 08.  The National 
Planning Commission is encouraging a national discussion on the 
green paper.  (The Star, September, 04, 2009) 
 
African National Congress (ANC) Not "Recalling, But Restructuring" 
 
¶5. (U)  African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General Gwede 
Mantashe told students at the Tshwane University of Technology that 
the ANC is not recalling leaders but restructuring regional 
positions.  The ANC Youth league in Northwest Province in early 
Qpositions.  The ANC Youth league in Northwest Province in early 
September recalled Chief Whip Bassie Moepeng.  In Tshwane, the youth 
league also called for executive mayor to resign.  Mantashe reported 
that chief whips and mayors are not being recalled, but "regions are 
restructuring" for the 2011 local elections.  He also told the 
audience that the ANC is aware of infighting in the regions and has 
made a clear distinction between protests related to service 
delivery and those caused by infighting from people positioning 
themselves for the 2011 local government.  (September, 09, 2009) 
 
AZAPO Destroys for Biko 
 
¶6. (U)  The Azanian Youth Organisation (AZAYO) a youth wing of the 
Azanian People's Organisation (AZAPO), plans to commemorate the 
anniversary of Steven Biko's death by destroying Steve Biko memorial 
sites.  The Garden of Remembrance in Ginsberg and the Steve Biko 
statue in East London have been selected as targets.  Siyabonga 
Kave, a member of AZAYO, says they took the decision to destroy 
these memorials when they recognized that the people who erected 
them do not follow any of Biko's principles.  The threats by AZAYO 
cannot be taken lightly as during the April election AZAPO disturbed 
 
PRETORIA 00001857  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
a live SABC broadcast in Port Elizabeth, claiming that they were not 
given enough airtime for the election campaign.  (Sunday Times, 
September, 06, 2009) 
 
Children's Act to be Reviewed 
 
¶7. (U)  Children rights groups have forwarded a petition to the 
Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and People with Disabilities, 
calling for a revision of the Children's Act.  The groups want the 
act to include more decisive action against perpetrators.  The 
Children's Act was passed four years ago, but according to Sushila 
Dhever from the Legal Resources Centre, the act still looks good on 
paper.  According to recent statistics one in four children are 
sexually abused a year and one in nine are reported.  (SABCNews, 
September, 08, 2009) 
 
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International News 
------------------ 
 
Motlanthe Defends Call to Lift Zimbabwe Sanctions 
 
¶8. (U)  Replying to questions in Parliament on September 9, Deputy 
President Kgalema Motlanthe defended SADC calls to lift sanctions on 
Zimbabwe, highlighting that the Global Peace Agreement says "that 
all forms of measures and sanctions against Zimbabwe be lifted in 
order to facilitate a sustainable solution to the challenges that 
are currently facing Zimbabwe" and that the parties "commit 
themselves to working together in re-engaging the international 
community with the view to bringing an end to the country's 
international isolation".  Motlanthe stated that the South African 
government together with SADC and the AU supports the implementation 
of the GPA and the lifting of sanctions.  (The Presidency, September 
9) 
 
Ebrahim Ebrahim receives credentials from new NEPAD CEO 
 
¶9.  (U) International Relations and Cooperation (DICO) Deputy 
Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim on September 7, 2009, received credentials 
from New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Secretariat 
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, at the 
Union Buildings in Pretoria.  (DICO Briefing, September 7) 
 
Zuma to lead delegation to the 64th session of the UNGA 
 
¶10.  (U) President Jacob Zuma will lead the South African delegation 
to the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly scheduled 
to take place from September 21-25. The remainder of his delegation 
will be announced soon.  (DICO Briefing, September 9) 
 
Zuma To Host Swedish Prime Minister 
 
¶11.  (U) Zuma will on September 10 host Swedish Prime Minister 
Fredrik Reinfeldt for bilateral political, economic and trade 
discussions in Cape Town.  Zuma will be supported by the DICO 
Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and will host Reinfeldt within the 
context of South Africa's efforts to consolidate relations with 
Sweden with a view to strengthening the North-South dialogue in 
support of the African Agenda.  (The Presidency, September 8) 
 
Motlanthe Speaks Plainly About Gadhafi 
 
¶12.  (U) Motlanthe spoke plainly about Gadhafi's ambitions to turn 
Africa into a single state and "be crowned the king of kings in 
Africa." The Deputy President said, "He entertains such grandiose 
airs because the fact is that, in the main, he has been very 
generous. That's why, when poorer nations run out of funds, he can 
simply close the tap if they do not vote for him."  (The Times, 
September 9)