MBEKI IN CRISIS - Jonathan Rugman's film from Ethiopia: 'Nomads blame Ethiopian military for starvation'

Excerpt from today's Channel 4 News Snowmail, authored by Britain's top investigative news reporter and presenter Jon Snow, Friday 19 September 2008:

In South Africa the bell has been tolled for Thabo Mbeki. The ANC have told him to resign as president and if he doesn’t they have said they will pass a vote of no confidence. It’s a moment that has all the hallmarks of a Shakespearean tragedy.

Mbeki, the exile, has always fought both his own conscience and his foes, many of whom are people who slogged through the battle against Apartheid inside the country.

He’s an intellectual and for a president, an honest man, but he made a catastrophic and alienating mistake over the origins of AIDS and has never recovered. Now after years of building difficulties he stands accused of conspiring to get his anticipated successor, Jacob Zuma, prosecuted for corruption and so barred from succeeding him.

More snippets from the Snowmail:

If you want to reply to Snowmail please email news@channel4.com and put Snowmail in the subject header.

If you missed Jonathan Rugman's film from Ethiopia last night, catch it here:
http://tinyurl.com/4gr4ak

Catch Tony Blair on the Daily show
http://tinyurl.com/4ev46m

McCain v Obama: ad wars
http://tinyurl.com/52v3jl

Note, Tony Blair makes a rare television appearance across the pond. He is about to start his teaching career at Yale, marking the occasion with an appearance on satirical US news programme The Daily Show (see above link) which will be shown on More 4 at 8.30 tonight.
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UPDATE: SATURDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2008

SA's Mbeki says he will step down (BBC)

BBC report Saturday 20 September 2008 - excerpt:

South African President Thabo Mbeki will accept a call to resign by the governing African National Congress (ANC), his spokesman has said.

Mukoni Ratshitanga said Mr Mbeki would leave his post once "all constitutional requirements have been met".

It comes days after a High Court judge suggested that Mr Mbeki may have interfered in a corruption case against his rival, ANC leader Jacob Zuma.

Mr Zuma was expected to succeed Mr Mbeki in scheduled elections next year.

Photo: Mr Mbeki has denied interfering in the case against Jacob Zuma (AFP/BBC)
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MBEKI AGREES TO STEP DOWN

South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki has agreed to step down. The metaphorical pistol having been put to his temple by his own party the ANC. His position, it seems, untenable after a long-running battle in and out of the law courts with his arch-rival Jacob Zuma. - Channel 4 News Tomomail, Saturday 20 September 2008.