Africa: Obama's Good African Story to Tell

analysis

US President Barack Obama historic address at the African Union headquarters on Tuesday was every bit as rousing as he intended it to be - inspiring yet cutting, easy-going yet contemporary. No bluster. Just Obama being Obamaesque. Thabo Mbeki's "I am an African" speech was probably the last big oratory moment by a world leader that could inspire hope for the future and pride in Africa's heritage. In South Africa we no longer do big inspirational speeches - although some verbal Prozac is probably much needed in a country where people resort to being fed snakes and rats as succour in the face of increasing difficulties. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY.

New employment data being released this week as well as the threat of massive job shedding in the mining sector brings home just how much South Africa's economic crisis is worsening. When President Jacob Zuma delivered the State of the Nation Address in February, he said the International Monetary Fund revised the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecasts down to 3,5%, "the situation is more promising on the jobs front". He said Statistics South Africa employment figures for the last quarter of 2014 showed that jobs grew by 203,000.

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