South Africa self-destructs

ARTICLE: 'Between staying and going, The Economist, Sep 25th 2008

South Africa has long been plagued by way too much crime, and all indications are that it's getting even worse.

It is ironic that, as Africa seems to be connecting nicely in many places, its one great source of economic connectivity--its towering economic power--seems determined to self-destruct.

Such is the danger of single-party rule where corruption runs rampant. Every revolutionary/national liberation group like the ANC runs into this crisis of power in the second generation (post-Mandela). The ANC is clearly handling it badly.

(Thanks: Robert Johnson)

Comments

[zenpundit]

South Africa could easily go down the 4GW road - lots of ingredients present in the envirnment. Mass of poor, discontented, underclass; discrete ethnolinguistic social groups with an adversarial history - some (Boers, Zulu) with militaristic traditions; availability of small arms and high technology; declining legitimacy of the state.

All that's needed is a catalyzing event.