Summary

Thabo Mbeki recently advocated unity with "anti-globalization" activists: "They may act in ways you and I may not like and break windows in the street, but the message they communicate relates." This raises two critical questions: is the South African government genuinely opposed to what Mbeki calls global apartheid? And are the reforms advocated by Pretoria failing? Mbeki's critics, from left and right alike, suggest that his AIDS policies, corrupt arms deal and support for Zimbabwe's repressive regime have damaged his credibility beyond repair. Others claim Mbeki's global ambition is his saving grace. But the content of Pretoria's broader reform strategy is rarely examined. Between incomparable cartoons by Zapiro, author Patrick Bond considers the dynamics of international political economy and geopolitics by reviewing a series of contemporary examples where Pretoria is frustrated by unfavorable power relations. Bond poses alternatives and also assesses the progressive social movements, which may well be Mbeki's most persistent, unforgiving judges, both locally and globally.