Mbeki on the way out?

Whilst today may be a good day for the upholding of the rule of law, the separation of powers and party authority and independence, let us not be too quick to greet this resignation with applause.

For all of his shortcomings (particularly his denial of AIDs and his woeful inaction throughout Zimbabwe's implosion) Mbeki has managed to continue the journey South Africa had embarked upon under Nelson Mandela.

What follows next may not bear thinking about.

Jacob Zuma (always Mbeki's presumed successor) may be Mugabe-lite. He has a record of using the bullet in the past and has not cut his ties to the group "Umshini wami" (Bring Me My Machine-Gun). He is also in favour of the “natural” alliance with Zanu-PF and has previously talked about land redistribution from the rich (mostly white) to the poor (mostly black) (a policy which has proved extremely popular).

Lest we forget this policy marked the tip of the iceberg for Mugabe’s slaughter of his country. If there was a post racial renaissance after the 1994 elections it may well now hang in the balance.