South Africa seeks support for AU candidate |14 October 2011
The country’s special representative Welile Nhlapo on Thursday called on President James Michel at State House with a message from President Jacob Zuma seeking the support.
“I’ve given President Michel the profile of the person we are putting forward as a candidate for the post of chairperson of the African Union Commission,” he said, noting the post will be occupied by the next person in January.
Gabonese diplomat and politician Jean Ping is the current chairperson of the commission. The former Foreign Minister of Gabon – who also served as president of the United Nations General Assembly – is seeking re-election to the seat being the only other contender.
Ambassador Nhlapo said the Southern African Development Community has this year decided to support a candidate on behalf of the region to serve the African continent in that capacity.
He said Mr Michel took note of the South African request.
“We believe Dr Dhlamini-Zuma would be the right candidate for the job because of her 
Dr Dhlamini-Zuma has chaired some of the AU’s committees “and Africa being a contested continent, you need friends and as foreign minister she made many friends on behalf of South Africa and we believe that advantage will come in handy in the task she would have to perform if elected”.
Mr Nhlapo said Dr Dhlamini-Zuma has brought major changes wherever she has worked, “first as Health Minister under President Nelson Mandela when she introduced a ban on smoking in public places which everybody thought would not work yet it has succeeded and also took pharmaceutical companies to court and won against the prices they were charging”.
“Once Dr Dhlamini-Zuma is determined to do something she really goes out and does it,” he said.
Ambassador Nhlapo said Dr Dhlamini-Zuma is now ably dealing with the sensitive issue of too many Zimbaweans’ presence in South Africa.