F W DE KLERK RESPONDS TO THE ELECTION AND THE ZUMA PRESIDENCY IN A SPEECH TO THE ROYAL COMMONWEALTH SOCIETY
In a speech to the Royal Commonwealth Society in London on 12 May, F W de Klerk spelled out his response to the recent election in South Africa and to the prospects for the Zuma presidency.
He said that democrats would welcome the stronger showing of opposition parties and the fact that the Democratic Alliance had won the Western Cape Province outright. They would take note that, for the first time since 1994, the ANC's share of the vote had declined and that, by a whisker, it no longer had the two-thirds majority that it required to change the Constitution.
F W de Klerk said that it was disappointing that voters continued to vote according to race and not political principle or their satisfaction with the performance of government. This meant that the DA - "despite its energetic and competent leader Helen Zille" would find it difficult to increase its support much above the 20% represented by the white, coloured and Asian minorities. He observed that COPE had probably reduced ANC support by 6% or 7% - which the ANC had partially regained by attracting votes away from the IFP.
After fifteen years of constitutional democracy South Africans found themselves "balanced between justifiable pride over our undoubted achievements and deep concern over our unresolved problems". "The question that engages us all is how the incoming government of Mr Jacob Zuma will affect this balance: will he continue to build on the constitutional and economic progress that we have achieved? Will be able to address the enormous societal problems that continue to confront us?"
Mr De Klerk observed that no-one knew what a leader would be like until he became the leader - particularly in Africa . Unfortunately, Mr Zuma would not be acceding to the presidency in the happiest of circumstances. "Until last month he was facing serious charges related to South Africa 's ongoing arms procurement scandal". The manner in which the charges had been dropped raised disquieting questions regarding the continuing independence and integrity of our National Prosecuting Authority.