SOUTH AFRICA’S DEMOCRACY INSTRUCTIVE

Yesterday, Jacob Zuma, was sworn in as South Africa’s President. What is instructive is the peaceful transition that South Africans have allowed themselves. Whereas peaceful transitions should be the norm, this has been a rare occurrence in most of Africa. Transfer of power has in most cases in post-colonial Africa been a violent affair; in the form of military coups or civil war. Despite its history of racial tension and apartheid, South Africans have since 1994, and on many occasions demonstrated a high level of political maturity as evidenced by the several peaceful handovers of power.