From the Cape of Good Hope…
The death of the former South African president F W Botha reminds us of what an astonishing transition the country has made. Nobody could have imagined that it could have been so successful; the ANC Government has overseen rapid economic growth and racial friction has been minimal.
Let us hope this is just an aberration but there is a bit of flakiness at the edges now. The ANC Chief Whip was imprisoned for corruption, wholly unapologetically, a Government minister throws a passenger off a full plane to get a seat, another flies her family to Dubai for some retail therapy. There is a risk that this is what begins to happen when your political position is unassailable, with two-thirds of the vote.
Every democracy needs an opposition to hold government to account and to highlight any possible signs of corruption and arrogance. This role has fallen to Tony Leon, leader of the Opposition, who is currently in London. He is clever and funny and works hugely hard in difficult circumstances.
Some say he can be acerbic, but his role is crucial. My own view is that anybody who wants South Africa to be a success story — a beacon to the rest of Africa – should applaud him. He deserves it.