South Africa's embattled president wants to start a dynasty

DIVORCING couples usually squabble over custody of the children. Jacob Zuma seems to be wondering how to share custody of the country with his ex-wife. Mr Zuma must retire as South Africa’s president in 2019. He appears to favour Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to whom he was married until 1998, as his successor. The couple often appear on stage together at political events, as they did during the African Union (AU) summit in Johannesburg in June.

A quiet race is under way to pick the next president of the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC). The winner will inevitably become president of the country, too. For Mr Zuma, there is much to commend his ex-wife. For a start, she has not been accused of trying to poison him (unlike one of the current crop of first ladies, whose lawyers issued a statement in which she denied being part of a plot to do so). Furthermore, Ms Dlamini-Zuma has plenty of political experience. She currently chairs the AU. She has served as South Africa’s health minister (under Nelson Mandela), foreign minister (under Thabo Mbeki) and home affairs minister (in her ex-husband’s cabinet).

She is also loyal. Mr...Continue reading

Source: Middle East and Africa http://ift.tt/1Z8Hre7

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