Tutu calls for directly elected South African president
-26/08/06
Nobel Peace Prize La
Tutu calls for directly elected South African president
-26/08/06
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu says he would like to see South Africa’s presidential electoral system reformed with a directly elected president ñ and he hopes that Jacob Zuma, fired as vice president last year, will not participate in the race to succeed President Thabo Mbeki ñ writes David Wanless for Ecumenical News International.
Tutu described Zuma as a “warm, approachable person”, but added that “the best thing he could do, if he loves this country, is to elect not to take part in the succession race” that will take place for Mbeki’s job before he steps down in 2009.
The Anglican archbishop was giving a yearly lecture in Cape Town on 23 August 2006 to honour the South African anti-apartheid activist Harold Wolpe, who died 10 years ago.
Mbeki dismissed Zuma as vice president in 2005 after he was implicated in a corruption trial of his now convicted financial adviser. Zuma’s alleged acceptance of a bribe from a French arms company in that case is currently before the courts.
During another trial earlier this year – on a charge of rape, on which he was acquitted – Zuma said he had consensual sex with the HIV positive young accuser. He told the court although he was aware of her health status, he had not used a condom, but had showered after the act to minimise the risk of infection.
“I for one would not be able to hold my head high if a person with such supporters were to become my president, someone who did not think it necessary to apologise for engaging in casual sex without taking proper precautions in a country that is being devastated by this horrendous HIV/AIDS pandemic,” said Tutu, the former Anglican leader in South Africa.
Tutu said although Zuma apologised for his “extraordinary claim about the efficacy of a shower to ward off HIV/Aids” he never condemned the “abominable and quite disgraceful” behaviour of his supporters outside the court who denigrated and threatened the woman who accused him of rape.
Tutu also said: “It is high time our president was elected directly by the people.” Political representatives need to owe “their primary loyalty and accountability to the constituents rather than to the party bosses”.
He said this would make South Africa a more vibrant democracy. At present all legislators are elected on a proportional basis for political parties.
With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.
[Also on Ekklesia: Tutu calls on Anglicans to accept gay bishop; Tutu says churches were braver under apartheid; BBC shows truth and reconciliation in Northern Ireland; BBC to screen truth and reconciliation meetings in Northern Ireland; Tutu and Havel endorse UN action on Burma; Archbishop says Bin Laden is part of God’s family; Bethlehem launches own passport; Churches back international peace day; Black archbishop says Tutu shows us what respect means; Tutu tells Blair and Brown they’ve been ‘mean’]
Tutu calls for directly elected South African president
-26/08/06
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu says he would like to see South Africa’s presidential electoral system reformed with a directly elected president ñ and he hopes that Jacob Zuma, fired as vice president last year, will not participate in the race to succeed President Thabo Mbeki ñ writes David Wanless for Ecumenical News International.
Tutu described Zuma as a “warm, approachable person”, but added that “the best thing he could do, if he loves this country, is to elect not to take part in the succession race” that will take place for Mbeki’s job before he steps down in 2009.
The Anglican archbishop was giving a yearly lecture in Cape Town on 23 August 2006 to honour the South African anti-apartheid activist Harold Wolpe, who died 10 years ago.
Mbeki dismissed Zuma as vice president in 2005 after he was implicated in a corruption trial of his now convicted financial adviser. Zuma’s alleged acceptance of a bribe from a French arms company in that case is currently before the courts.
During another trial earlier this year – on a charge of rape, on which he was acquitted – Zuma said he had consensual sex with the HIV positive young accuser. He told the court although he was aware of her health status, he had not used a condom, but had showered after the act to minimise the risk of infection.
“I for one would not be able to hold my head high if a person with such supporters were to become my president, someone who did not think it necessary to apologise for engaging in casual sex without taking proper precautions in a country that is being devastated by this horrendous HIV/AIDS pandemic,” said Tutu, the former Anglican leader in South Africa.
Tutu said although Zuma apologised for his “extraordinary claim about the efficacy of a shower to ward off HIV/Aids” he never condemned the “abominable and quite disgraceful” behaviour of his supporters outside the court who denigrated and threatened the woman who accused him of rape.
Tutu also said: “It is high time our president was elected directly by the people.” Political representatives need to owe “their primary loyalty and accountability to the constituents rather than to the party bosses”.
He said this would make South Africa a more vibrant democracy. At present all legislators are elected on a proportional basis for political parties.
With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.
[Also on Ekklesia: Tutu calls on Anglicans to accept gay bishop; Tutu says churches were braver under apartheid; BBC shows truth and reconciliation in Northern Ireland; BBC to screen truth and reconciliation meetings in Northern Ireland; Tutu and Havel endorse UN action on Burma; Archbishop says Bin Laden is part of God’s family; Bethlehem launches own passport; Churches back international peace day; Black archbishop says Tutu shows us what respect means; Tutu tells Blair and Brown they’ve been ‘mean’]