I used to be an ANC activist. My family's past is closely linked to ANC and the strugle. My granddad and my dad participated in the smuggling of arms for ANC during the apartheid, because of which the family was forced to flee to Netherlands. So I was born as a Dutch. And now I'm back to the country of my ancestors. You'd be surprised, but there are many whites in ANC. Anyway...
So I'm not an active ANC member for some years already, but I still participate in political discussions with some o the students in my University. They are mostly associated with the ANC Youth League. And before this conference, the Youth League decided to endorse Jacob Zuma.
Personally I have some reserves about Zuma. I think he is a to controvesial and polarizing figure. I'd have preferred someone else to be president - neither Zuma, nor Mbeki (who represents the status quo, which needs a change). Maybe Mrs Msimang would have been a good option. But she's a woman, and people are still not ready to imagine a woman on the steering wheel.
There used to be two serious contenders - Tokyo Sexwale and Cyrill Ramaphosa, who are respected businessmen and are regarded as "technocrats" (pragmatic people who don't care too much about political sentiments). But for one reason or another, they both decided to quit the race (they endorsed Mbeki). Meanwhile, most of the Provinces endorsed Zuma. So he is the favorite to win the race.
If you ask me, I would mostly prefer the finance minister, Trevor Manuel (I mentioned him in this post). But he also quit the race. So, in this situation I really don't know whom I would've voted for, if I still had my membership card with me. Maybe I'm pro-Mbeki 51% and pro-Zuma 49%...
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branchandroot
(no subject)
Date: 2007-12-16 01:18 pm (UTC)So I'm not an active ANC member for some years already, but I still participate in political discussions with some o the students in my University. They are mostly associated with the ANC Youth League. And before this conference, the Youth League decided to endorse Jacob Zuma.
Personally I have some reserves about Zuma. I think he is a to controvesial and polarizing figure. I'd have preferred someone else to be president - neither Zuma, nor Mbeki (who represents the status quo, which needs a change). Maybe Mrs Msimang would have been a good option. But she's a woman, and people are still not ready to imagine a woman on the steering wheel.
There used to be two serious contenders - Tokyo Sexwale and Cyrill Ramaphosa, who are respected businessmen and are regarded as "technocrats" (pragmatic people who don't care too much about political sentiments). But for one reason or another, they both decided to quit the race (they endorsed Mbeki). Meanwhile, most of the Provinces endorsed Zuma. So he is the favorite to win the race.
If you ask me, I would mostly prefer the finance minister, Trevor Manuel (I mentioned him in this post). But he also quit the race. So, in this situation I really don't know whom I would've voted for, if I still had my membership card with me. Maybe I'm pro-Mbeki 51% and pro-Zuma 49%...