SOUTH AFRICA

‘Bring Me My Machine Gun’

For good or ill, the next president is a lot different from his predecessors.

By Scott Johnson and Karen MacGregor | NEWSWEEK
Published Apr 18, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Apr 27, 2009

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  • Posted By: Omaar @ 04/19/2009 4:18:05 PM

    We'll See...We'll All See

    • Posted By: African Dream @ 04/23/2009 1:15:46 PM

      All I can say is please pray for those of us left in South Africa with no hope of ever being able to leave. We are white, we will be victimised and with the rampant crime in this country we will be left to somehow fend for our lives. Not everyone in South Africa has the money, a profession to give us enough points or youth to gain access to another country. I fear for my family, my children, elderly relatives and friends. I was born in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) so tell me where do I go next?

      • Posted By: paulte @ 04/23/2009 4:08:05 PM

        Is it possible for you to relocate to the Western Cape? From what I've read the Cape province is the only part of the country where the ANC is not projected to win. The whites who can't leave should try to form a critical mass in one part of the country where they can have at least some political power. Also, it would be a good idea to make common cause with the mixed race people who speak Afrikaans. The whites also need to return to their Dutch Reformed Christian roots and ask for God's protection. The great prohet of the DRC predicted the AIDS plague in Africa. He also predicted that the whites would lose power in South Africa but regain it.

    • Posted By: African Dream @ 04/23/2009 1:13:38 PM

      All I can say is please pray for those of us left in South Africa with no hope of ever being able to leave. We are white, we will be victimised and with the rampant crime in this country we will be left to somehow fend for our lives. Not everyone in South Africa has the money, a profession to give us enough points or youth to gain access to another country. I fear for my family, my children, elderly relatives and friends. I was born in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) so tell me where do I go next?

  • Posted By: onwisconsin66 @ 04/23/2009 12:20:40 PM

    One of my former professors is retiring back to South Africa, though he is a naturalized citizen of the US. He is one of the most lovely people I know and will continue his work for social justice in education there, I am sure. He is white and Oxford educated. I do fear for his safety. I have many friends in South Africa of many races. Apartheid was awful and will take years to heal, much like our system of slavery and legacy of Jim Crow. I hope, for my friends and their families' and country's sake, this new president is able to create a coalition of people that work together for the common good. Otherwise, the oppressed may become the oppressors and the violence will continue. This is not a wealthy country and it has needs that desperately must be addressed in terms of health, infrastructure, education, and legal structures that protect/enforce gender equality. I hope for South Africa that Zuma has the fortitude to address these needs and to surround himself with advisors who will help him heal his country.

  • Posted By: shorty191 @ 04/22/2009 11:12:16 PM

    Zuma is so corrupted himself and how could a person like this lead the country out of corruption!!
    Eventhough all the charges were dropped, i still thinks he is a criminal, a RAPIST. A coward who is afraid to admit his mistakes and make up comical excuses to cover his wrongs. Quote "he even argued that the woman had invited his attention by wearing a short dress.". That is just ridiculous.
    Watch! South Africa will soon become an another "Zimbabwe".

    • Posted By: Zvirotozviroto @ 04/23/2009 3:05:15 AM

      when people dont have anything to say they should just shut up. South Africa needs Zuma. And whats wrong with Zimbabwe, Was it any better under the Brittish and Smith. better for who. Shut up. Thousands of blacks labored in mines in South Africa for free over centuries, was that Zuma in power.Shut up.

      • Posted By: Realist002 @ 04/23/2009 7:42:47 AM

        @Zvirotozviroto - You obviously, either know little about the facts in Zimbabwe, or are part of the few that benefit from the demise of a great country.
        Just look at the trend: Inflation rate to rise from 32% in 1998, to 133% in 2004, 585% in 2005, passed 1000% in 2006, and 26000% in November 2007, and to 11.2 million percent in 2008. GDP per capita in 2008 less than $200/year! For a country with abundant natural resources that used to be the ???breadbasket??? of Africa (yes in the time of Smith) this can only be attributed to mismanagement and bad leadership.

      • Posted By: Realist002 @ 04/23/2009 7:41:21 AM

        @Zvirotozviroto - You obviously, either know little about the facts in Zimbabwe, or are part of the few that benefit from the demise of a great country. .
        Just look at the trend: Inflation rate rised from 32% in 1998, to 133% in 2004, 585% in 2005, passed 1000% in 2006, and 26000% in November 2007, and to 11.2 million percent in 2008. GDP per capita less than $200/year. For a county with abundant natural resources, that used to be the "breadbasket: of Africa (yes in the time of Smith), that can only be attributed to mismanagement and bad leadership.

  • Posted By: eagleJ @ 04/23/2009 5:35:38 AM

    South africans should celebrate people with the right values, men of profound integrity who has the genuine interest of the people at heart. My two by four thinking tells me that the problem of the choice of LEADERSHIP remains a plague among africans. i.e ZUMA

  • Posted By: bobwogo @ 04/23/2009 1:41:24 AM

    The issue of leadership, integrity and performance is not unique to Africa. It was a vital hallmark of last year's presidential elections pitting Barack Obama and John MCain. If I recall clearly, MCain's act of divorcing his first wife to marry the rich Cindy MCain when the latter was incapacitated from an injury sustained during an accident raised questions of integrity. Obama's association with Pastor Jeremiah Wright who was known for his racist rhetoric also raised concerns. Ultimately, and to the credit of Obama acampaign, not much capital was made out of Mcain's presumed moral failings. To me, the jury is still out as to whether a leader of questionable integrity can deliver the citizen's charter as promised during the campaign. In an ideal world, only indiividuals of impeccable character should seek office. But often, politics is about strategy, shrewdness, tact, money, ambition and integrity may only be an added trait. To voters, charisma and hope mongering counts.

    Dr Obwogo Subiri, Nairobi, Kenya

  • Posted By: robertkjjj @ 04/22/2009 11:42:56 PM

    As if the white folks in S. Africa needed yet ANOTHER reason to flee this forsaken country.
    What a complete disaster it has been here the last 20 years.

  • Posted By: shorty191 @ 04/22/2009 11:02:24 PM

    Zuma is so corrupted himself and how could a person like this lead the country out of corruption!!!
    Watch, South Africa is going to be the next "Zimbabwe"

  • Posted By: Whatthe? @ 04/22/2009 6:42:08 PM

    Hail Zuma!! Hail The Messaih Zuma!! Hope and Change for South Africa!! I hope he can do for South Africa what Mugabe did for Southern Rhodesia. I don???t like the name Zimbabwe. A name like that could only have been thought of by knuckle dragging nitwits whose primary residences are constructed of Wildebeast turds.

  • Posted By: Mwalimu @ 04/22/2009 6:19:56 PM

    Jacob Zuma sounds like an avid supporter of the NRA. Could we let him run the NRA rather that South Africa?

  • Posted By: Sasgal @ 04/22/2009 5:54:10 PM

    I just wish you guys did better reseach instead of praising a corrupt, murdering, raping monster without looking into the real reasons the charges were dropped. God Forbid you guys don't print a force fed story, and it doesn't get any more forced than that. This man is NOT ok. South Africa is not safe for anyone, especially now.

  • Posted By: Sasgal @ 04/22/2009 5:47:19 PM

    This article is so wrong. Sit down and have one interview, but don't bother to do any research. Don't bother to talk about how the woman he pretends he didn't rape was HIV positive and his "measure of protection" after the sex was to take a shower. This is a man that many S. Africans look up to, and for him to tell people in an AIDS infested country that you can fight AIDS by taking a shower...

    But that's not all. He announced publically that he'd have the DA killed, along with anyone involved in prosecuting him. Then he decided he wanted to suspend his trial, so that he's have the opportunity to pardon himself of his own crimes if he was convicted while he was the president.

    He will rule the country with fear. I fear for my loved ones in South Africa because of this man.

  • Posted By: paulte @ 04/22/2009 5:26:15 PM

    Well, if he has been reaching out to the white tribe of Africa in South Africa, he can't be all bad! Unless the concerns of white people are addressed (crime, affirmative action, white poverty & prostitution) then only more will leave the country. Already a majority of white children under 10 along with their parents have emigrated from the country. Without the white minority, the country will fall to the wayside like Zimbabwe.

  • Posted By: J.D. @ 04/22/2009 11:29:07 AM

    ZUMA WOULD FIT RIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS..........

  • Posted By: apolemic @ 04/21/2009 11:33:07 AM

    Reading this article gives me a Robert Mugabe-sized headache. I hope I'm wrong in this assessment.

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