Remember one thing as South Africa prepares to go to the polls this week and the world grapples with the ascendancy of the African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma: South Africa is not Zimbabwe.In South Africa, no one doubts that Wednesday's elections will be free and fair. While there is an unacceptable degree of government corruption, there is no evidence of the wholesale kleptocracy of Robert Mugabe's elite. While there has been the abuse of the organs of state by the ruling ANC, there is not the state terror of Mugabe's Zanu-PF. And while there is a clear left bias to Zuma's ANC, there is no suggestion of the kind of voluntarist experimentation that has brought Zimbabwe to its knees. . Mark Gevisser
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The Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has been accused of stealing billions of dollars from his country. He has also led a violent crackdown on his opposition which has seen many people killed. It has been reported that President Mugabe has stolen at least $24 billion from his country. He found great success in the past by using the organs of state to enrich himself and other members of his government.

He also led a violent crackdown on his opposition which has seen many people killed. Mugabe has created a terrible legacy for Zimbabwe and for South Africa, where he is soon to be voted into power.

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  1. This week, Zuma was quoted as saying, 'When the British came to our country, they said everything we are doing was barbaric, was wrong, inferior in whatever way.' But the serious critique of Zuma is not about who is a barbarian and who is civilised....
  2. Remember one thing as South Africa prepares to go to the polls this week and the world grapples with the ascendancy of the African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma: South Africa is not Zimbabwe.In South Africa, no one doubts that Wednesday's elections will be free...
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