Zuma skips meeting over ‘Cameron snub’

President Jacob Zuma. File picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

President Jacob Zuma. File picture: Bongiwe Mchunu

Published Oct 26, 2014

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Johannesburg - A major diplomatic row led to President Jacob Zuma’s last-minute withdrawal from an important conference in London on Monday to promote investment in South Africa, according to diplomatic sources.

After announcing Zuma’s attendance at the third annual InnovaBrics conference this week, the Presidency then issued a statement on Friday to say that he would “skip” the event.

The statement did not explain why he had changed his mind, but diplomatic sources said Zuma and his officials were miffed because the British could not guarantee him a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron.

And, without that the UK government was also unable to offer him the level of security protection which his officials felt he needed, they said.

The sources were surprised the Presidency had said Zuma would skip the event. “This makes it sound as though he couldn’t make it because he had a soccer match to watch. It is very casual,” one source said, adding that Zuma’s last-minute withdrawal was a “diplomatic disaster” because the event was important for promoting investment in South Africa.

However, Zuma’s spokesman, Mac Maharaj, played down his non-attendance on Saturday, saying in an interview that “it is not compulsory for heads of state to meet in these circumstances”.

“This is a government-to-business, not a government-to-government, visit.”

He said foreign leaders often visited South Africa on other business, such as meetings of the Pan-African parliament, without seeing the president.”It is not as if there is anything abnormal about this.”

He said Zuma had decided not to attend because of changes to his diary, but would not say what event he would be attending instead. He also said he did not know if Zuma had sought a meeting with Cameron.

“President Zuma is looking forward to a successful forum as South Africa strives for five percent economic growth,” he said.

Earlier, Maharaj had said South Africa and Zuma would be represented at the forum by four ministers: Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe who would lead the delegation; Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies, Minister of Finance Nhlanhla Nene, and Minister of Communications Faith Muthambi.

“The country’s international marketing agency, Brand South Africa, has been a lead partner with InnovaBrics, a business networking forum, since its inception in 2012,” Maharaj said.

“The forum is an important marketing forum for South Africa and cabinet ministers attend sessions on behalf of the country each year. South Africa’s participation will be within the context of promoting the NDP (national development plan) and promoting the country as a prime business destination.”

Isabel Potgieter, spokeswoman for the UK High Commission in Pretoria, said on Saturday: “ We are in discussion with the South African government on a range of meetings for all the visiting ministers. We don’t comment on security matters. The decision to cancel the visit is a matter for the South African government.”

Sunday Independent

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