'South Africa safe as usual' - president-in-waiting

Jacob Zuma, who is tipped to be South Africa’s next president, has assured the US that the country was safe despite recent political uncertainly.

Zuma, who is currently the African National Congress’ president, which is the ruling party in South Africa, met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and President George W. Bush at the White House, rather than country president Kgalema Motlanthe.

Zuma said that the trip was aimed at increasing commercial ties between the largest economies of two continents, adding that not enough had been done in the past to secure trade flows from the US to South Africa.

The United States was assured business would continue as usual and that no policy changes would happen after the country’s former president, Thabo Mbeki, was recalled last month.

Investors in Africa’s largest economy were seeking commitments from Zuma that he would not bow to pressure from his communist and trade union allies to steer South Africa away from the pro-business policies of Mbeki.

In his speech to the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, the president-in-waiting confirmed that country policy would not change.

“There should be no worry. The situation is going to continue normally. In a sense I am saying: ‘no panic, everything is fine in South Africa’,” said Zuma.

He added that the ANC, as a democratic organisation, took decisions collectively and that the country’s liberal and progressive constitution’s checks and balances would remain in place.

“I have absolutely continued to say that I would change no policies if I became president. I have no authority to do so. That is in the hands of the ANC.”

Zuma said that he was in the USA to push for increased investment and commercial ties with one of South Africa’s key trade partners.

“We believe America, up to now, has not taken advantage of the open economy that we have,” he said.

According to the US Census Bureau, the United States between January and August this year exported US$4.2-billion worth of goods to South Africa and imported goods worth US$7.2-billion.