South Africa Election

South African Party Leader Shrugs Off Suspicions New York Times — Does Jacob Zuma, the man almost certain to be South Africa’s next president, live with a cloud of suspicion above his head? Is he stuck, as one of the nation’s leading newspapers contends, with a “perception widely held that he can be bought”? Has he been damned, as another editorial suggests, to “an enduring hell of suspicion and doubt”?Actually, Mr. Zuma mostly seems to be enduring joy, relief and perhaps the sweet taste of revenge. There is no cloud, and there never has been, he has said repeatedly. click to read complete article

Will Zuma bring tribalism to South Africa? BBC — South Africa's first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, promoted a "Rainbow Nation"; his successor Thabo Mbeki an "African Renaissance"; so what will be the overarching vision of a Jacob Zuma presidency? He has not yet outlined one, but he is likely to do so in his first state-of-the-nation address when the new parliament convenes. click to read complete article

Markets Steady As ANC Heads To Fresh S African Election Win Wall Street Journal — The South African rand and the country's credit-default swap spreads are holding steady as the market awaits confirmation that Jacob Zuma's African National Congress party has won its fourth consecutive election in South Africa. Markets are soothed by the prospect that despite Zuma's controversial background, victory for the ANC would likely ensure that South Africa's respected Finance Minister Trevor Manuel will remain in his post. click to read complete article