One step forward. Two steps back.

I had a really great weekend. Great friends and too much wine was the order of the last two days. And so it was quite a downer to start the week off with the ridiculous yet unsurprising news that the NPA has dropped all charges against Jacob Zuma. Not because they have insufficient evidence that he's nasty and corrupt, but because they reckon there was political interference (from the Mbeki government) and abuse of power. Again, technicalities.

All along, it's been pretty obvious that Jacob Zuma is going to be South Africa's next president. A man who has been fired as Deputy President of South Africa... a man who has been caught up in a pretty nasty sex scandal though, granted, he was found innocent of rape charges... a man who has been accused of corruption on quite a grand scale... a man who practices polygamy... a man known to burst into song about his machine gun. Yeah, we all knew that he's going to be heading into power. But I had hoped - naively - that he would still have his day in court where he would have to prove to the people he claims to serve and represent that he is indeed innocent. Now we'll never know the truth.

After the fall of apartheid, South Africa really seemed poised for changed. It was a positive place, alive with the anticipation of rebirth. It seemed as if the liberation struggle had finally, finally paid off. But is this what people were fighting for? Replacing one corrupt regime with another one? What a shame that this is what we've done with such a wonderful opportunity. How very sad!

Yeah, today is not a proud day for South Africa or its people. The only winners here are Jacob Zuma and his ignorant, brain-washed supporters.

'Guess I'd better learn the words to Umshini Wami. Something tells me we're going to be hearing it more now than ever.