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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 001921 
 
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SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV ASEC SF POL PAS ECON
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 13-SEPTEMBER 
19 
 
PRETORIA 00001921  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Written in partnership with the Open Source Center's 
Pretoria Bureau, the POL 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. 
 
------------- 
Domestic News 
------------- 
 
Nzimande Blames Mbeki for ANC Turmoil 
¶2. (U)  South African Communist Party (SACP) Secretary General Blade 
Nzimande has blamed former president Thabo Mbeki for some of the 
woes facing the African National Congress (ANC) and the country.  In 
a discussion paper for the SACP congress in December, Nzimande 
accused Mbeki of "hijacking and frustrating the ANC developmental 
agenda and replacing it with a pro-business program that has 
frustrated the ANC's efforts of transforming the country."  Nzimande 
called on government to review all agencies established during the 
Mbeki era and to close down irrelevant ones.  He also warned that 
remnants of Mbeki's supporters within the tripartite alliance could 
frustrate President Jacob Zuma's service delivery agenda.  (Sowetan, 
September, 14, 2009) 
Human Settlements Minister Visits Informal Settlement 
¶3. (U)  Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale visited residents 
of Phola Park-Thokoza informal settlement on September 13 to learn 
about service delivery challenges.  The visit was in response to 
calls by the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) in Ekurhuleni for the 
dismissal of the executive mayor Ntombi Mekgwe and her mayoral 
committee.  The Minister held a special meeting with ANCYL leaders 
at the Thokoza Hostel to discuss challenges concerning the residents 
and then met with residents.  The residents of Phola Park-Thokoza 
complained about a lack of water, electricity, houses, jobs and 
sanitation facilities in the area.  This marked the sixth visits 
Sexwale has made to informal settlements.  In August, Sexwale 
launched a nationwide fact-finding mission to uncover the reasons 
behind the service delivery protests that rocked the country and to 
assess the massive backlog in housing.  (Buanews, September, 13, 
2009) 
Presidential Hotline Up and Running 
¶4. (U)  The presidential hotline went live on September 14. 
Officers at the Union Buildings call center will handle calls and 
respond to public inquiries.  Citizens will be able to lodge their 
queries by dialing the toll-free number.  The Presidency says that 
the next few weeks will be spent "perfecting the service and 
ensuring that all technical and operating aspects work efficiently". 
 (The Star, September, 14, 2009) 
Auditor-General to Turn Up the Heat on Delivery 
¶5. (U)  Auditor-General Terence Nombembe will put government 
departments on the spot in March 2010 when his office releases a 
report highlighting five years of service-delivery monitoring.  The 
report will provide the first detailed information on the extent to 
which the government has delivered.  The Auditor-General's office 
has been gathering information for five years, long before this 
year's formation of a Monitoring and Evaluation Department in the 
Presidency under Collins Chabane.  Nombembe declined to give any 
hints of which departments were likely to feel the heat.  (The 
Times, September, 14, 2009) 
SACP Leads the Eastern Cape 
¶6. (U)  Phumulo Masaulle of the SACP has been elected chairman of 
Q6. (U)  Phumulo Masaulle of the SACP has been elected chairman of 
the ANC in Eastern Cape.  Masualle, who is also Minister in the 
Executive Committee for Health in Eastern Cape, secured 1041 votes, 
beating Mcebisi Jonas by 930 votes.  The provincial conference was 
dominated by leadership contests, leading Zuma to issue a stern 
warning to the delegates that the national executive committee would 
take over the running of the province if "it failed to get its act 
together."  (Sowetan, September, 14, 2009) 
ANC in Eastern Cape Plans to Recall Premier 
¶7. (U)  The ANC in Eastern Cape plans to recall Premier Noxolo 
Kiviet following Phumulo Masualle's election to the position of 
party provincial chairperson.  The Sowetan reported that Masualle's 
supporters plan to push a conference decision through a provincial 
general council before December and recall Kiviet.  The ANC's 
provincial executive committee plans to devise a strategy to diffuse 
tension between the parties to ensure there would be not be "two 
centers of power" between the premier and the chairperson. 
(Sowetan, September, 14, 2009) 
------------------ 
International News 
------------------ 
 
South Africa-China Dialogue to Proceed 
 
¶8. (U)  International Relations and Cooperation (DICO) Deputy 
Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim will co-chair the SA-China Strategic 
Dialogue Forum on September 17.  Minister Ebrahim will host his 
 
PRETORIA 00001921  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Chinese counterpart, Assistant Minister Zhai Jun.  This session will 
focus on reviewing bilateral relations, African Issues and China's 
policy towards Africa, and multilateral cooperation and 
international developments.  The Dialogue also allows for the two 
countries to discuss the status of structured bilateral engagements 
such as the SA-China Bi-National Commission. (DICO Briefing, 
September 15) 
 
DICO Minister Visits Sudan 
 
¶9. (U) DICO Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane visited Sudan September 
¶17.  She was accompanied by Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation 
in the Presidency Collins Chabane and senior government officials. 
During her visit, the Minister was expected to hold discussions with 
her Sudanese counterpart on Post Conflict Reconstruction and 
Development (PCRD), the conflict in Darfur, the 2010 election and 
other matters related to the implementation of the Sudan 
Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).  Minister Nkoana-Mashabane 
returned to South Africa on September 17 ahead of the 64th Session 
of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.  (DICO Briefing, 
September 14) 
 
Kenyan Electoral Commission visits South African Electoral 
Commission. 
 
¶10. (U)  Five members of the Kenyan Electoral Commission beginning 
on September 14 visited with members of the South African Electoral 
Commission in order to learn how to conduct free, fair and 
transparent elections.  The Kenyan Electoral Commission is 
reorganizing itself following post election violence over a year ago 
which left over 1,000 people dead. Kenya has also sent missions to 
Ghana, Rwanda, India and Brazil.  (Eyewitness News, September 16). 
 
RSA's International Relations Minister to Call on Sudan's Al-Bashir 
 
ZANU-PF to Discuss Moyo's Application for Readmission 
¶11. (U) Zimbabwe's pro-government newspaper The Herald reported on 
15 September that the Zanu-PF Politburo will deliberate on an 
application for readmission into the party by independent House of 
Assembly Member for Tsholotsho North constituency and former 
Information and Publicity Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo when it 
next sits. In an interview on 14 September, Zanu-PF secretary for 
administration Cde [Comrade] Didymus Mutasa confirmed the 
development and described Prof Moyo as an "important asset" to the 
party. [Harare The Herald Online in English -- Website of 
pro-government newspaper published daily except Sunday; URL: 
http://www.herald.co.zw] 
RSA Minister Briefs Media on US Climate Change Talks 
¶12. (U) Environment Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said it was unrealistic 
for developing countries to commit to carbon emission targets 
because of their economic status, reported privately-owned daily 
Business Day 16 September.  Briefing reporters in Kempton Park, 
Sonjica said the government would not sign any deal at the upcoming 
climate change conference that would compromise SA's economic 
development chances. "We know we are culprits in emitting carbon 
because we generate our energy from coal (but) SA is a country 
with...socioeconomic issues.  A sizeable amount of our population is 
without electricity so you have to factor all those issues before 
you can move away from coal completely." [Johannesburg Business Day 
Online in English -- Website of privately owned regional newspaper; 
URL: http://www.bday.co.za/] 
Gips