South Africa turning a blind eye

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA: "South Africa and the world: The see-no-evil foreign policy: Why post-apartheid South Africa, once a shining beacon of human rights, is cosying up to nasty regimes around the world," The Economist, 15 November 2008.

Simply no stepping up WRT Mugabe next door, and what South Africa attempts to do has "drawn sharp criticism from many corners."

Pariah status is returning, based on such sins of omission.

South Africa is once again vetoing or voting against sanctions against regimes like Zimbabwe and Myanmar and Sudan and Uzbekistan.

No longer the great mediator on the continent, the ANC begins to reveal many of its true colors long apparent to observers not so swept up in the sainthood of Mandela:

In truth, the ruling African National Congress has always been cosy with some dictators, such as Libya's Muammar Qaddafi and Cuba's Fidel Caster, even under Mr Mandela--largely out of gratitude for past help during the struggle against white rule.

But looking deeper, SA is truly a Seam State, "with one foot in the rich world, where its main economic interests continue to lie, and the other in the poor one, with which many of its people identify.

Simply put, South Africans aren't that comfortable aspiring to be a great power. In generational terms, it's simply too big of a reach for now. They prefer their "noble past" of suffering and underdog status.

Too bad, because Africa is in such dire need of adult leadership.

Comments

[zenpundit]

The ANC leadership, like many revolutionary-guerilla movements of that era was a small band of (marxist) intellectuals and pragmatic-minded thugs who now want to live well. Not democrats or liberals. They are only going to adapt so far to the spirit of the times.