afrol News, 19 December - Jacob Zuma's election yesterday to the top post in the ANC, and his probable candidacy to the South African presidency, has split the nation. Mr Zuma beat President Thabo Mbeki for the ANC's top job by 800 votes, but street polls indicate a popular vote would have been closer.

Delegates attending the ANC's National Conference in Polokwane expressed both jubilation and disappointment at Jacob Zuma's win of the ruling party's leadership. While President Mbeki has a lowering number of true supporters, Mr Zuma deeply splits the ANC membership. Some see him as the apostle for real reform in South Africa, while other fear he may ruin the country's economy and international reputation.

Among ordinary South Africans, which normally give the ANC a great parliamentary majority in elections, the views are equally split, but Mr Zuma's majority may be smaller. Informal polls made by South African media indicated little support for President Mbeki but much polarised views on Mr Zuma.

SAPA, the South African news agency, spoke to several persons saying they were now considering leaving the country. Especially among the white minority, Mr Zuma's election has caused concern their economic and civilian rights may be further limited, already causing divestments in South Africa.

But also the country's black majority was split on Mr Zuma. Among the many poor, however, many saw the new ANC leader as the only politician to take the issue of poverty seriously. Equally, many citizens were outraged about what they considered Mr Zuma's poor moral standards, believing he was guilty of both rape and corruption although this was not proven in highly profiled court cases against the ANC leader.

'The Independent', also talking to citizens in the street, found a small majority cautiously welcoming Mr Zuma's election. While there was scepticism towards the personality of Mr Zuma, most interview subjects welcomed the fact that his election at least would bring much needed change. One would have to "wait and see" if Mr Zuma was the right man to implement the right reforms for South Africa, most respondents cautioned.

The Conservative opposition, the Democratic Alliance, however was clear in its rejection of Mr Zuma. "This is a dismal day, not only for the ANC, but for South Africa. It is an indictment on the ruling party that they could find no better candidate than Jacob Zuma to lead them," said DA spokeswoman Helen Zille. The ANC conference had also "exposed many of Zuma's supporters as unruly and ill-disciplined populists who cannot observe the basic norms of decent, democratic behaviour," Ms Zille added.

Meanwhile, Mr Zuma's backers celebrated his victory. The win was welcomed by the trade union federation COSATU, the Communist Party and the Youth League, all being part of the left wing of the ANC movement and having voiced strong support for Mr Zuma ahead of the election.

By staff writer

© afrol News

Related pages and feature

Current afrol News Top Stories