Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Johannesburg (Agenzia Fides) – “There is no doubt that rivalry and discord in the governing party have hindered its ability to serve the whole community in recent months. It is now time for the new leaders to focus on the urgent needs and demands of our people, especially the poor,” says Archbishop Buti Tlhagale of Johannesburg, President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC), in a declaration sent to Agenzia Fides regarding the resignation of South African President Thabo Mbeki (see Fides 22/9/2008). Mbeki resigned following a decision from the Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC), the party which has governed the nation since 1994.
Archbishop Tlhagale commended “President Mbeki for the dignified and statesmanlike manner in which he has acceded to the wishes of the majority in his party’s leadership” and expressed his hope that “when the time comes for the new leadership of the ANC, whoever they may be, to step aside...they will do so with the same humility and accountability that President Mbeki has shown.”
Mbeki’s resignation is a sign of progress in South African life, and thus, the Bishops “welcome indications that mature leaders are exerting a calming influence on some of their more impetuous colleagues. Threats or predictions of violence, insulting personal attacks, and the use of intemperate language, cannot serve the national interest.”
In response to the trust crisis among citizens, the Archbishop asks that all those called to govern the nation, “work towards re-building confidence in the leadership of our country, by going beyond the divisions that have become evident over the last months.”
The President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference points out that “corruption, nepotism, and self-advancement have no place in a democracy; we hope and trust that government will demonstrate a renewed commitment to eradicate these evils, which have seriously diverted us from our national struggle to build a better life for our people.”
The Archbishop says that “to this end, we add our voice to the calls for a judicial commission of inquiry into all aspects of the arms deal, which has rightly been described as a ‘cancer’ eating away at our society.” For years the political life in South Africa has been marked by the great scandal of the exuberant amounts spent on an arms deal for the nation. The President’s rival within the ANC, Jacob Zuma (who has become the party’s leader) was recently acquitted of accusations of having accepted funding in this matter, saying that there were pressures coming from the President and his advisors influencing the legal process. Mbeki’s resignation is linked to this event.
The Bishops hope to bring back trust to the hearts of South Africans: “The people of South Africa should not be unduly worried about these developments, even though change of any kind is often unsettling. The general election that will be held less than a year from now will allow us all the opportunity of expressing our approval or disapproval of these changes. It is the duty of every citizen to think carefully about the political situation and to vote in a way that promotes the common good of all.”
“we wish President Mbeki well and assure him that his many achievements, especially in placing the concerns and hopes of our continent firmly on the world’s agenda, will not be forgotten,” Archbishop Tlhagale concluded. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 24/9/2008)
