Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC
Thabo Mbeki plays a crucial role in world politics, but to many people he is an enigma. In this book Gumede pulls together his insights from years of reporting on the Mbeki presidency to create a sophisticated but easy-to-read account of power in South Africa. He explores the complex position that Mbeki occupies and reveals the underlying political and personal tensions that help explain the forces that have created one of the world's most powerful and enigmatic leaders. Covering Mbeki's attempts to modernize the economy and kick-start an African Renaissance, and investigating his controversial stance on issues from AIDS to Zimbabwe, the book offers invaluable insights into the arcane machinations behind political decisions that touch the lives of millions every day.
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Awards
Special Commendation, UNESCO Noma Literary Prize (2006)
Reviews
“If you want to understand contemporary South Africa and the struggle for the future of Africa, start with William Gumede's insightful and prophetic book"
— TIME Magazine
"A timely, well-written and important book"
— The Economist, London
"William Gumede, professor at Wits’ School of Governance (and author of the much-acclaimed Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC), is one of our country’s more sophisticated thinkers"
— News24
"William Gumede’s Thabo Mbeki and the Battle for the Soul of the ANC enjoyed runaway success never before seen in the genre. So phenomenal was its reception that it caught publishers Zebra on the backfoot, selling out almost before it hit the shelves"
— Mail and Guardian
“Gumede, as a top journalist, provides a treasure-trove of facts … for anyone interested in understanding post-apartheid South Africa, Gumede’s book is well worth a read”
— Australian Review of Public Affairs
"Gumede's book promises to make a solid and lasting contribution to our understanding of the man and the post-apartheid order he did so much to create"
— Financial Times, London
"A critical book that has put the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons, unleashing intense debate in South Africa about whether the country is on the right track"
— Dagens Nyheter, Sweden
"A definitive account ... written with a cool head and expert storytelling"
— Naomi Klein, author of "No Logo"
"Original, brilliant and courageous"
— Cornel West, Harvard University
"Gumede goes where others fear to tread”
— Mail and Guardian
"How President Mbeki and the ANC leadership respond to this book will be a test for our new democracy”
— Rapport
"A meticulous, compelling and courageous book that has taken South Africa by storm"
— Liberation, Paris.
"This book will challenge, provoke you, piss you off and educate you some. Read it!”
— Jacob Dlamini, author of Native Nostalgia.