Zuma Judgment: Mbeki Vindicated?
While Judge Chris Nicholson’s verdict was rightly overturned and rightly heavily criticized for its unnecessary vitriol against Thabo Mbeki, that does not mean Mbeki is vindicated in any way.
Even though he may be smiling now and welcoming the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) decision, Mbeki is still the main reason Jacob Zuma became a high profile member of the ANC in the first place.
As it is, Mbeki chose Jacob Zuma as his deputy president, before most people in this country had ever heard of him. The only Zuma we knew was his ex-wife then Minister of Health Nkosasana Dlamini Zuma
Looking at Jacob Zuma, it is easy to see why Mbeki chose him. There is no way Mbeki saw Zuma as an intellectual equal. In actual fact, Mbeki ran all his closest and smartest rivals out of politics.
Fortunately for the Ramaphosas and Sexwales of this world, they were shoved into millionaire status as well, but that’s another story.
Mbeki is also the reason Zuma now ‘leads’ the ANC.
Amongst a large number of terrible, often tragic mistakes, Thabo Mbeki made his worst one when he stood for a 3rd term as president of the ANC, going against the party’s constitution. In doing so he once again eliminated a rival, but this time he got rid of a real rival for Jacob Zuma.
Had Mbeki not stood for re-election, someone of the stature of Cyril Ramaphosa or even Kgalema Motlanthe, could have risen above the fray and been elected as a compromise candidate.
Thabo Mbeki made an arrogant error in judgment and now the whole country will pay if Zuma is elected president of South Africa.
Judge Nicholson can be thanked for speeding up Mbeki’s exit as president of the country and at the same time causing a necessary split that gave rise to the Congress of the People (COPE).
With any luck the Supreme Court of Appeals’ overturning of the Nicholson decision will have a similar effect on Jacob Zuma’s political career.
.jpg)
