Great piece, Herbert Ross, . The political situation on South Africa (SA) is particularly worrying for me and a lot of other Africans. I saw in SA during Mandela's presidency that we were seeing a model form of Governance that would be an excellent example for the rest of Africa... As here was an African nation, run by Africans with a constitution that was the envy of the world. There would have been no more excuses, I thought, by other African heads of states about "democratic" governance, rule of law etc being an imposition by outsiders.

How they (African dictators) love to winge and whine about these "foreign concepts". Lately I have been very disappointed by what has been happening in SA. First the babaric and heinous crimes committed again other fellow Africans recently and now the chisms within the ANC - the tit for tat child like behaviour we see within the ANC Elite. I am totally embarassed by it!!!!!! Hah!! I was actually fooled to think that something that positive can come out of Africa.

As you rightly said, this is a time for SA to re-examine what had happened and to make sure that safeguards are put in place to prevent it happening again. No !! No !! not for Africans!! they just have to go personal on every thing. Attack and kill if they dont get there way. The new breakaway party is being threatend with violence for deciding to separate and yet I heard no statements of restraint from any of the current leaders. Thabo Mbeki may have had his problems, but thats no reason for the ANC to commit suicide by electing someone with attitudes that makes you think you are in another past century in Africa. No what Africa needs is an electorate that is sophisticated enough to boot out the self serving, unscrupolous, dictators where ever they are.