The president v the people

摘要

THE death of a struggle hero brought the great and good of South Africa together in mourning. Ahmed Kathrada, who was sentenced to life on Robben Island alongside Nelson Mandela, died on March 28th. His funeral at a Johannesburg cemetery drew former presidents, sitting cabinet ministers, the chief justice of the highest court and the leaders of the African National Congress (anc). There was one conspicuous absence: Jacob Zuma. Instead, the man who had preceded him as South African president read from a letter in which Mr Kathrada, in a final act of resistance, called on Mr Zuma to resign. The crowd of mourners erupted in cheers.