Declining Fortunes

Although South African President Thabo Mbeki has another four years left in office, the issue of who should succeed him flared up last week. The chatter came after the Durban High Court convicted Schabir Shaik, a friend and financial adviser to Deputy President Jacob Zuma, on fraud and corruption charges.

After a riveting eight-month trial and a three-day verdict broadcast live on television and radio, Judge Hillary Squires found Shaik guilty on all three charges against him. Squires announced Shaik had paid some $180,000 to Zuma in bribes between 1995 and 2001 in order to keep in the...