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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 000100 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV ASEC SF POL PAS ECON
SUBJECT: SOUTH AFRICA POLITICAL NEWSLETTER JANUARY 11-JANUARY 15 
 
REF: Pretoria 0080 
 
PRETORIA 00000100  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. 
 
------------- 
Domestic News 
------------- 
 
President Jacob Zuma Says ANC Not To "Co-Govern" With Alliance 
Partners 
 
 
¶2. (SBU)  The South African Press Agency (SAPA) reports that 
President Jacob Zuma stated that the African National Congress (ANC) 
would cooperate but not "co-govern" with its alliance partners. 
According to SAPA, Zuma said that the political alliance between the 
African National Congress, South African Communist Party (SACP) and 
Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) with its discussions 
and cooperation would "absolutely" continue, but warned against 
"mistaking" consultations and discussions with co-governance.  The 
President added that including the SACP into more ANC governance 
could lead to the weakening of the former, and noted that "there are 
matters that the party has to take as a party."  In recent weeks, 
tensions have been increasing within the alliance, with the SACP and 
COSATU demanding greater influence.  [Description of source: 
Johannesburg SAPA in English -- Cooperative, nonprofit national news 
agency, South African Press Association; URL: 
http://www.sapa.org.za] 
 
 
 
World Cup Body Says Prepared For "Any Eventuality" Despite Attack in 
Angola 
 
¶3. (SBU)  SAPA's press release service link2media reported that the 
2010 FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee South Africa (OC) "strongly 
condemns" the "terrorist" attack on the Togolese national team in 
Angola, stating that there is "no link" between the incident and 
South Africa's preparations to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup.  The 
committee dismissed attempts to compare organization and security in 
Angola with South Africa "just because the two countries happen to 
be in the same region", but highlighted that South Africa is 
"prepared for any eventuality".  The report noted that Africa has 
hosted three successful FIFA events in the last eight months - the 
FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa and the U17 and U19 World 
Cup's in Nigeria and Egypt.  South Africa is scheduled to host the 
2010 FIFA World Cup in June 2010 amid heightened security. 
[Description of source: Johannesburg link2media in English -- Press 
release service of the nonprofit press agency SAPA, known as SAPA 
PR; URL: http://www.link2media.co.za] 
 
Home Affairs Officials Confiscate "Fraudulent" Passports at Ports of 
Entry 
 
¶4. (SBU)  SAfm reported that the South African Department of Home 
Affairs has confiscated a large number of "fake" passports from 
travelers to South Africa and some neighboring countries following 
months of investigations (reftel).  In a recorded interview with 
SAfm, Jackson MacKay -- deputy director general at Home Affairs 
responsible for immigration -- noted that an unusually large number 
of fake passports turned up at South Africa's ports of entry over 
the holiday period, revealing upon further investigation that many 
travelers to Mozambique and Zimbabwe are using "fraudulent" South 
African passports.  MacKay also noted the increasing trend of 
travelers using documentation of people whom they closely resemble. 
Qtravelers using documentation of people whom they closely resemble. 
According to MacKay, the department is in the process of probing and 
weeding out elements of corruption within the department and 
implementing more stringent security measures at South Africa's 
ports of entry.  [Description of source: Johannesburg SAfm Radio in 
English -- national SABC radio service, nominally independent but 
partially funded by government] 
 
Sponsored Surrender of Illegal Firearms in the Works 
 
¶5. (SBU)  Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has urged people in 
possession of illegal firearms to hand them over to police 
immediately.  He said if they failed to do so they would face the 
wrath of the law.  Mthethwa was launching the three-month "Awuleth' 
Umshini wakho" (translated as "Surrender Your Firearm") amnesty 
campaign aimed at ridding the country of thousands of illegal 
firearms.  Owners of illegal firearms have until April 11 to 
voluntarily hand over their firearms. During the first amnesty in 
2004 and 2005, more than 98,000 illegal firearms were handed in. 
 
PRETORIA 00000100  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Mthethwa encouraged licensed firearm owners to surrender their guns 
for destruction as prescribed in the Firearms Control Regulations. 
"Gun Free" South Africa's Natalie Jaynes said they supported the 
campaign and they would encourage all their constituencies in all 
regions to hand over their guns and alert police to illegal guns. 
(Sowetan, January 11, 2010) 
 
Motlanthe Wants Stronger Culture of Learning as Schools Re-Open 
 
¶6. (SBU)  Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe delivered a 
motivational speech to learners who underperformed at Mpheko Senior 
Secondary School near Mthatha in the Eastern Cape on January 13. 
Motlanthe told the students that teachers should strengthen the 
culture of teaching and learning at the school.  The Eastern Cape 
Legislature's Standing Committee on Education and members of the 
provincial government have started visiting various schools in the 
province to push the importance of education and to ascertain 
whether schools are ready to teach the learners.  (SABCNEWS, January 
13, 2010) 
 
------------------ 
International News 
------------------ 
 
 
South Africa Pushes for Zimbabwe Leaders to Agree on "Some" 
Outstanding Power-Sharing Issues 
 
¶7. (SBU)  SAfm radio reported that President Jacob Zuma's 
International Relations advisor, Lindiwe Zulu, says Zimbabwe's 
political rivals have agreed on "some" outstanding issues of a 
power-sharing deal.  Although there has been progress on some 
issues, Zulu is reportedly unhappy with the slow pace of 
negotiations.  President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan 
Tsvangirai formed a unity government last year in February after 
disputed elections, but the coalition has been fraught with disputes 
over power-sharing.  [Description of source: Johannesburg SAfm Radio 
in English -- national SABC radio service, nominally independent but 
partially funded by government] 
 
Government Expresses Concern Over Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Strip 
 
¶8. (SBU)  Zuma told the crowd at the ANC's birthday celebration on 
January 8 that one of the principles underpinning South Africa's 
foreign policy is the Middle East peace process.  He noted, "The 
Palestinian people have inalienable right to self-determination and 
independence," which he sees as entailing their universal human 
rights to safety and security.  The South African government noted 
with concern the latest rounds of Israeli air strikes in the Gaza 
Strip and registered its condemnation in the strongest possible 
terms.  (DIRCO Briefing, January 11) 
 
FM Chairs South Africa-India Roundtable 
 
¶9. (SBU)  International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite 
Nkoana-Mashabane chaired the South Africa-India business roundtable 
with the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 
Johannesburg on January 12.  The purpose of the meeting was to 
attract international trade and investment between the two countries 
as well as "creating a business environment for growth" of both 
South African and Indian business ahead of the Commonwealth games 
taking place in New Delhi in October 2010.  (DIRCO Briefing, January 
12) 
 
 
GIPS