Page 29 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

A POR TR AIT OF SOUTH AFRIC A  27

Outdoor-loving South Africans on the popular Clifton beach in Cape Town

or social origin, religion, gender, sexual president to Mbeki in 1999 and again in
orientation and language. Yet, many 2004, and once alleged corruption charges
citizens still live very close to poverty and, against him were dismissed, Zuma was
despite the country’s wealth of natural able to stand as the country’s president in
resources, advanced technol ogy and the 2009 elections. He and the ruling ANC
sophisti cated infrastructure, the gap won again in general elections in 2014.
between South Africa’s privileged and its Nelson Mandela died in
poor is still noticeably wide. Nevertheless Johannesburg in December
the government is 2013 at the age of 95.
implementing Tributes flooded in from
continuous programmes throughout the world,
for improving housing, and South Africa held an
transport and other emotional ten-day period of
services, and overall, even mourning in which memorial
poorer South Africans South Africa’s children had a special place services took place in stadiums,
enjoy a far better standard in “Madiba’s” heart and books of condolence were
of living than most people signed across the country. His
in African countries to the north. funeral was held at his ancestral home of
Qunu in the Eastern Cape. Thousands of
After Mandela mourners lined the streets as the military
The ANC has remained in power since transported Mandela’s casket on a gun
1994. Nelson Mandela passed the carriage, and his peaceful burial was
mantle of power as president of the ANC attended by family, friends and dignitaries.
over to his long-time deputy Thabo
Mbeki in 1999. Mbeki was president
of the country from the 1999
elections until his resignation in
2008 over allegations that he
interfered in the corruption case
against Jacob Zuma. He was
replaced by ”caretaker’” president
Kgalema Motlanthe, who headed
the state until the 2009 elections.
A member of the ANC since 1959,
Jacob Zuma was elected deputy A bold mural in Johannesburg portrays the multicultural nation

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