|
May 9, 2009
Posted: 1522 GMT
The pre-dawn streets of Pretoria are filled with flashing blue lights and police sirens as the city prepares for Jacob Zuma's presidential inauguration. On our bus's TV, a Bollywood actress is rolling across an emerald lawn to a love song. Her performance is apparently being screened to entertain its usual passengers – the Indian Premier League cricketers playing their matches in South Africa instead of back home. Today, however, the bus is filled with sleepy journalists on their way to the Union Buildings and our wait for the presidential ceremony to begin. We are dropped off in the darkness 3km from where we are supposed to be. "Why?" we ask. The officials and police shrug their shoulders. It is our first indication of how the day will be. We lug our heavy equipment across the lawns and up on to the scaffold far away from the main proceedings. Shortly after we set up the rain starts to thunder down. No one had thought to provide a roof for the camera crews and their equipment, so it was impossible to broadcast because of the risk. Our only consolation was that the VIPs in the amphitheatre of the Union Buildings were also getting drenched as they tried to huddle together under umbrellas. Finally, though, the sun comes out, we dry our equipment and the heads of state arrive. Cheers from the damp but enthusiastic crowd greet Muammar Gaddafi, Robert Mugabe and the North Korean representative. A frail, but dignified Nelson Mandela is cheered every time his image appears on the large screens set up for the crowds. The man who followed him as the country's leader, Thabo Mbeki, is booed with a deep angry roar. And then, the man himself arrives; the cheers are defeaning. Jacob Zuma is their hero. The man they came to see. He takes the oath and the crowd goes wild as the planes from the now traditional fly-past roar overhead. President Zuma’s speech is dignified and reconciliatory. He speaks of wanting to re-invigorate South African society with the values of the Mandela era. He also speaks highly of Mbeki, his arch-rival in a battle for political power which lasted seven years. Zuma, the victor, then descends to the lawn where his people are gathered. There is not a single white South African in the crowd, which is made up almost entirely of the black poor - the power behind Zuma. They believe he will change their lives for the better. He did not sing his trademark anthem ‘Umshini Wam’ or ‘Bring me my machine gun.’ He is president now, no longer a revolutionary. Posted by: Hamilton Wende |
 
About this blog
Hear from CNN reporters across the globe. "In the Field" is a unique blog that will let you share the thoughts and observations of CNN's award-winning international journalists from their far-flung bureaus or on assignment. Whether it's from conflict zone, a summit gathering, or the path least traveled, "In the Field" gives you a personal, front row seat to CNN's global newsgathering team.  Recent Posts
Follow us on Twitter
From our Partners
Categories
Archive
 |
Loading weather data ...
© 2009 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Homepage
Add a comment
