In South Africa 'Loyalty trumps misgivings over policy failures'

"We don't know what he stands for," says Russell. "He appears to be a man of no fixed opinions, a party man through and through. It is still utterly unclear how he will come to make a decision."

SHOOT: In a time of uncertainty - and when have things been as uncertain as this - the LAST thing South Africa needs is an uncertain leader. Mbeki was that. Zuma might be worse, in fact, he may be decisively uncertain.

clipped from www.time.com The African National Congress and its leader Jacob Zuma will form South Africa's next government, it became clear Friday, after they ran up an unbeatable lead in the general election. Though final results are yet to be released, with 96% of districts declared from a 77% turnout, the ANC had won 66.2% of the vote. Running second, the Democratic Alliance had mustered just 16.3% nationwide, although the opposition party looked set to win back control of the Western Cape, cementing its power base in Cape Town and the surrounding province. Although an ANC victory had been expected, its scale — indicating a similar level of support as at the last election in 2004 — has confounded predictions of a voter backlash against the ANC and Zuma, who have both courted scandal and questions over their competence.