Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANCAs a spokesman for a country, a continent and the developing world, Thabo Mbeki played a crucial role in world politics, but to many people he remained an enigma throughout his presidency. Is this simply because he was a secretive man, or were there complicated political factors at play? Who was the real Mbeki? In this book, multiple-award-winning journalist William Mervin Gumede chronicles Mbeki’s spectacular rise to dominate Africa’s oldest liberation movement. He explores the complex position that Mbeki occupied – following in Nelson Mandela’s footsteps, holding together an alliance with deep ideological differences, and ruling an intensely divided country. Revealing the political and personal tensions behind the scenes, Gumede explains how Mbeki sought to mould the ANC into his image through tight control, and exposes the intrigues behind the battle for succession. Covering Mbeki’s attempts to modernise the economy and kick-start an African Renaissance, and investigating his controversial stance on issues from AIDS to Zimbabwe, the book offers invaluable insights into the arcane machinations behind political decisions that touch the lives of millions every day. |
Contents
Freedoms Long Walk | |
Mbekis Path to Power | |
Escaping Mandelas Shadow | |
Was the ANC Trumped on the Economy? | |
Economics for the Poor | |
The | |
Whats Wrong with Being Filthy Rich? | |
Remaking South Africas Politics | |
Modernising the Alliance | |
The New Struggle | |
We Are All YesMen and YesWomen Now | |
The Battle for Succession | |
NOTES | |
LIST OF INTERVIEWS | |
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Common terms and phrases
activists African National Africanists AIDS allies ANC leaders ANC leadership ANC members ANC’s apartheid appointed argued ARVs Bank cabinet campaign candidate cent centrists civil society committee Communist companies COSATU Council countries country’s criticism democracy democratic deputy president Dlamini-Zuma Eastern Cape economic policy election Essop Pahad foreign former GEAR government’s grassroots groups growth Gumede HIV/AIDS Ibid industry Interview investment Jacob Zuma Jeremy Cronin Johannesburg KwaZulu-Natal labour launched Lekota Madisha Manuel Mbeki-ites million minister Motlanthe Mugabe Mugabe’s national conference negotiations Nelson Mandela NEPAD Netshitenzhe Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma opposition organisation party party’s policy-making political poor poverty premier privatisation programme provincial Ramaphosa reform role SACP SANCO secretary sector senior ANC Sexwale Sisulu social South Africa strategy struggle Tambo Thabo Mbeki trade union Trevor Manuel tripartite alliance Vavi Women’s workers World ZANU-PF Zimbabwe Zuma’s Zwelinzima Vavi